


Friends

by rachelmariem



Category: Gorillaz
Genre: 2dxnoodle, 2nu, Angst, F/M, Gorillaz - Freeform, NSFW, noodlex2d
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-04
Updated: 2017-08-11
Packaged: 2018-11-23 05:09:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 24,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11395974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rachelmariem/pseuds/rachelmariem
Summary: Noodle and 2D have always been like brother and sister. That is, until one night, they have a drunk one – nightstand – but it isn't a one time thing. The two begin a "friends with benefits" relationship, sneaking into each others' rooms every night to have sex and sleep together. Feelings unknowingly develop, and things become complicated with  A misunderstanding. Will they be able to work it out?





	1. i. The Dress

It had to have been the dress.   
2D knew if it were not for the alcohol added to the striking allure of the indigo slim-fitting dress that now lay on his floor, that this would not have happened.   
Sure, staying up until 2 AM drinking almost straight liquor with one of the closest friends you have may seem like a good idea, until you wake up next to them naked in your bed.   
2D glanced over at Noodle, who was sprawled out across three quarters of his mattress. Too afraid to move, the man decided to lay and try to recall the events last night.   
He knew it began with the two of them being left at home for the night, with Murdoc and Russel gone on two separate errands. Noodle originally had planned to go out with a few of her lady friends, but came back home early when the night on the town was cancelled. 2D had already cracked open the bottle of liquor, so Noodle decided to join him. As the night kept going and the bottle got emptier, the two got closer on the couch. Eventually, the conversation turned to a more suggestive topic, and clothes came off and bodies were touched, and they went back to the bedroom. The darkness of the room at night made it hard for the lanky man to picture what had happened, but in his mind he could physically recall what Noodle felt like under his touch. He thought of he hair in his fingers, her lips on his, their skin connecting-  
2D snapped back in to reality. He wasn't going to allow himself to fall back in to his late night desires.   
'Get a grip you git,' he thought to himself as he rolled out of his side of the bed and headed to the bathroom. When he managed to make it without having a fall, 2D inspected himself in the mirror. He looked like hell. His hair was sticking out in all different directions, the bags under his eyes were significantly darker, and with a tilt of his head and a closer look, 2D even caught sight of a hickey at the base of his neck.  
"Shit!" 2D exclaimed, then almost nearly covered his mouth. 'Don't wake her up, oh Lord,'.  
'Wha'are you, 15?' The man scoffed to himself as he hobbled back in to his room to throw some clothes on. ''S a hickey. You're a grown man! You ain't gotta hide a hickey!' For a moment, 2D managed to encourage himself. Then-  
'She's almost 13 years younger than you are, mate. Oh God, if Russ fin's out what happened...' 2D shuddered at the thought, and to distract himself, he decided to go downstairs to get himself some breakfast. 

Downstairs, 2D had already had 2 slices of toast and his favorite jam, and was toasting another pair, when Noodle silently stepped in to the kitchen, and sat down at her usual seat at the table.   
"Ohayōgozaimasu, Toochi." She greeted, pulling out her phone and unlocking it. 2D nearly jumped out of his trousers.   
"O-Oh, g'mornin' Noodz! How, er, how'd you sleep?" The man asked awkwardly, avoiding eye contact. Noodle didn't seem to notice.   
"I slept well. And you?"  
"Alrigh' I suppose.."   
"Oh! I apologize if I hogged the bed and prevented you from a good night's sleep," The woman said, glancing up from her phone to try and catch 2D's eye, but he was turned around. "Your blankets were just so comfortable. I couldn't help myself." As she finished her sentence, 2D turned around with his plate of half-burnt toast and forced out a chuckle, sitting down at his usual seat at the table across from Noodle. For a few minutes, it was silent. Noodle seemed to be acting normally. She was on her phone, scrolling down her timelines and news-feeds, tapping away. A few more minutes passed. More silence. 2D had finished his breakfast now, and was standing up.   
"D'you know when Russ and Mudz'll be back?" He asked Noodle as he placed his dish in the half-full sink.   
"Shirimasen," She said simply, standing up. 2D noticed she was wearing one of his old tshirts.   
"Noodz, is tha-" 2D was cut off by a peck on his cheek. By the time he processed what had happened, Noodle was already in the kitchen doorway.   
"I have got to run some errands today so I'm going to get ready to head out. I'll see you later, Toochi." She said, and flashed a smile, before she disappeared up the stairs.   
2D just stared at the spot where Noodle had just been. His cheek was warm, almost flaming hot.   
'W... What was that fo'?' he thought, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.   
'She wasn't wearing her dress.'


	2. ii. Shut-Eye

It was about 6 PM and Noodle still hadn't returned from the errands she left to run around 12 PM that day. 2D had been waiting for her to come home for a few hours now, just sitting on the couch in the living room with the TV on for background noise.   
'S'Not that late,' 2D thought, shuffling his bare feet on the dirty floor.   
'B'sides, you pro'lly don' wan' 'her comin' back too soon. You don' even 'ave any idea wha' you wanna say t'her!'   
The man threw himself backwards on to the couch, groaning and covering his face with his hands.   
"Is there something wrong, D-san?" Came the familiar British-Japanese voice from behind him. 2D almost jumped up in surprise as he spun his body around to see it was Noodle, clad in short pajama shorts, one of 2D's 'Free Tibet' shirts, and some old white socks.   
"Noodz! I- Er, I been waitin' for ya!" He stuttered out, trying to visibly compose himself. Noodle smiled and raised an eyebrow.   
"Waiting? Toochi, I've been here all day,"   
2D froze. She's been here.....all day.   
"Y'mean... you didn'..." 2D voiced the thoughts as they formed in his head.   
"Hai. I've been in my room since I left breakfast, I was too lazy to leave the house today." Noodle chuckled. "Now, what have you been waiting for me for?" As she finished her sentence, Noodle stepped closer to him. 2D stood from the couch and took a nervous step back.   
"O-Oh yeah, er, I-I wanted t' talk to you abou' las' night..." The man stuttered out as a blush formed over his pale cheeks. Noodle smirked and sat down on the couch.   
"You mean the sex?" She asked bluntly, taking 2D back.   
"W-Well yeah, I uh, I wanted t' make sure you didn' 'ave any negative feelin's at me. I jus' wanted to clear the air, y'know?" As 2D finished, he released a big breath he'd been holding back since he forgot when. 'Oh wow, tha' was easier than I thought!' And then, Noodle laughed. 2D looked up at her with a confused and almost hurt look on his face. "W-Wha... Did I say somefink funny..?" He wondered out loud.   
"Toochi, it's okay, I understand." Noodle assured, patting 2D on the shoulder as he took a seat back on the couch. "Y-You do?"  
"Hai, I do. It was a one night stand, a little fling. That's not the first time it's happened to me and it won't be the last." Noodle told him, giving him another pat on the back.   
"Oh, well, in tha' case, good. I didn't wan- wait, not your first?" 2D exclaimed, giving Noodle a shocked look. 'Not your last?' Noodle nodded and chuckled.   
"Hai, Toochi. I'm a woman. We go on tours across the country. If you, or Murdoc, or even Russel can bring a burd in to your room, what makes you think I can't sneak a groupie in to mine?" Noodle's statement opened 2D's eyes to the fact that yes, Noodle was in fact a woman, and yes, he thinks he remembers seeing a few strange men around the house, but it hadn't been for a while.  
"O-Oh... Well..." 2D wasn't entirely sure what to say. There was a feeling in 2D's chest that nipped at his pride. Jealousy maybe? "Was I at least... good? What you're used to?" The question surprised 2D, but Noodle just grinned at him. She scooted a little closer, and brought her lips up to his ear.   
"No. You were better." She whispered, then placed a gentle kiss on 2D's earlobe. Shivers shot down the man's spine, and he balled his fists. 'Oh my god.'  
"I wouldn't mind a second round, that is, if you wouldn't..." Noodle's face was centimeters from 2D's, her lips closing in. 2D didn't know if whether he wanted to turn and run up the stairs and hide or throw Noodle down and take her right there on the couch, so he decided to find a comfortable medium and see where the present situation would take him.   
"N-Noodle..." He whispered, giving in to the overwhelming urge to close his eyes and connect their lips. At first, the kiss was deep and not entirely lustful, but as Noodle pressed her hand closer against 2D's chest, one of his hands slowly traveled up Noodle's back and on to the back of her head. The other went up under Noodle's shirt back, pressing the two tightly together. Noodle nipped at 2D's bottom lip, giggling and pulling away. 2D almost audibly whined and just barely caught himself from reaching out like a baby and flailing his hands for her to come back and fulfill him.   
"Not now, Toochi. Later. After supper. I'll come to your room, and we can have more fun." Noodle got up off of her place on the couch and went over to the home telephone.  
"Why my room? Why can' we do it in yours?" 2D questioned, trying to make conversation as he awkwardly adjusted the boner in his drawers. Noodle giggled.   
"Because I like your room. Your blankets are comfy." She dialed a number as she spoke. "Also, I've been locked in my room all day. I'm tired of being in there." 2D nodded, keeping his gaze on the woman. Her lips were reddened from their mini make-out session, and her hair was slightly tussled at the base of her head. 2D smiled halfway, admiring these small details about her.   
"Hallo Papa!" Noodle chirped, taking the phone and walking to a window. "I was just calling to see when you would be home. I want to know how much I should prepare for dinner... Hai, 'D is home... Iie, Murdoc hasn't called... Hai... Daijoubou... Hai, sayonara Papa!" Noodle hung up the phone.   
"Was 'at Russ?" 2D asked, already knowing the answer. Noodle called Russel Papa, so it was obvious.   
"Hai. He says he will be home for dinner, and to go ahead and make Murdoc some as well. Would you like anything in particular, Toochi?" Noodle responded, stepping away from the window and placing the phone back on its home port. 2D shook his head.   
"I fink I'm gonna head upstairs actually, Noodz. I been waitin' all day for you t' get home, and you've been home this whole time! I need a li'l rest." 2D stood up and padded toward the stairs. Noodle nodded.   
"Daijoubou. I'll see you later, Toochi." Noodle giggled, and retreated to the kitchen. 2D turned around as she left, and smiled. 

Russel got home around 7:15, just when Noodle was finishing up dinner. Murdoc had called by then and said he wouldn't be home until midnight.   
Dinner was casual. Noodle and 2D didn't interact much. The occasional 'pass the knife' or 'can I borrow the salt', nothing too intimate.   
"How was Baltimore, Papa?" Noodle inquired, taking a bite of the spaghetti she had made.   
"Oh it was alrigh', never been a fan of Baltimore. Too much-" 2D didn't hear the rest of the conversation, because he was distracted by something touching his leg. As he paid attention, whatever it was slowly climbed its way up the man's leg, where it reached his knee and stopped. 2D snuck a glance under the table and saw it was Noodle's foot creeping its way up the his leg. 2D almost choked.   
"Are you alright, 'D?" Russel asked, raising one of his thick eyebrows at 2D.   
"Oh y-yeah I'm fine, I jus- it went down th' wrong pipe is all," 2D said nervously, looking over to a smug Noodle. Her face was lit up in a sly grin. She knew what she was doing.   
"D'you need a sip of some water, D-san?" As she asked, her foot slipped too quickly back down his leg, returning to its spot under her chair.   
"I, uh, uh, sure." 2D decided. Noodle smiled and stood up, walking past 2D and brushing her arm against his shoulder to tease him. These 'accidental' little touches from Noodle were driving 2D absolutely insane. He clenched his fist in his lap, watching as the Japanese woman's hips swayed with her steps.   
"Daijoubou, I think I am done for now." Noodle said after she sat the glass of water down in front of 2D. "I'm going to go back upstairs now, I need to shower and get to bed early. I didn't sleep too well last night." Noodle picked up her silverware and plate, and set it in the sink.   
"It was nice talking to you Papa!" She said as she gave Russel a light peck on the cheek. "And you too, Toochi." as she placed another slightly longer peck on 2D's cheek. Then she was gone. 

It was almost 10PM. Although they hadn't agreed on a time, 2D thought that Noodle would have been in his room by then. She had already showered a couple of hours prior, and there wasn't anything that 2D thought she could be otherwise preoccupied with. The intense want that 2D felt in his crotch and his chest was causing him to grow restless and impatient.   
'Just give 'er time, Stu. She'll come.' He thought, trying to ease his mind. 2D turned himself so he was facing the powered-on television at the opposite end of his bed.   
After another 15 minutes, 2D was almost asleep. His eyes were flitting open and shut, and he was losing the sleep battle. The door to 2D's bedroom opened quietly.  
"Toochi?" A soft voice called out. 2D was too tired to respond. "Oh, the baby is sleeping." The same voice said amusedly. The other side of the bed indented and 2D suddenly felt a light warmth beside him. He turned himself over to face Noodle. Her hair was down around her cheekbones and shoulders, bringing out her pale complexion in the dimly lit room. She wore a deep purple silk spaghetti-strap nightgown that also helped to bring out her complexion. She seemed to be glowing.   
"Oh, 'ello kitten. I wuz jus'... I'm a li'l tired is all..." 2D croaked, smiling sleepily up at the glowing beauty in his bed.   
"Daijōbudesu, Toochi. I will let you rest." Noodle said, placing a gentle kiss on the man's forehead.   
"Wouldja mind stayin' wiff me? You're warm, 'n I'm jus' a li'l cold..." He asked, reaching up and grabbing Noodle by her shoulders and gently tugging her down to him.   
"Of course I will. Get some sleep." Noodle said, easing herself down and closing her eyes softly. 2D kept his eyes open for just a second longer, taking in her gentleness before he closed them and wrapped his arms around her midsection.   
"Goodnigh', Noodle."


	3. iii. Finally

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> itS SEXY TIME YALL  
> so yeah lol be warned this is the first time i've written sex before so hopefully i'll get way better and more comfortable  
> anyway enjoy

2D woke up to the sound of crashing on the floor below him. He raised himself to an upright position, only to feel a slight weight on his torso. He looked down and found an arm, that was attached to a body, that belonged to Noodle. 2D smiled softly and laid back down, his body faced toward her, and went back to sleep. 

The next time 2D woke up it was of his own accord. The light from the sun was shining dimly through the dusty blinds on his windows, revealing an empty space where Noodle had slept the night before. 2D sighed contentedly, and rolled over in to the empty space. It smelled vaguely of some unknown girly shampoo and cigarettes. He smiled and laid there for a few minutes, before rolling out of bed and putting on a pair of pants to head downstairs.  
When he entered the kitchen, 2D saw it was 2 o'clock. It didn't phase him much, as he frequently slept in late on days he didn't have plans or work. The sink had a few dirty plates in it, indicating the other band members had already woken up and had their breakfast. 2D himself was actually famished, so he made himself a couple of pancakes and his favorite toast.  
After breakfast, 2D decided to go see where everyone was. He knew that Russel would have been at work, since he worked most days the band didn't have practice, but he wasn't sure if Noodle or Murdoc would be busy. 2D decided to, of course, check to see if Noodle was home first.  
When he reached her room, 2D knocked gently on the half open door. He peeked in, and discovered an empty room. Noodle's bed was nearly made, and there were no articles of clothing strewn about her room, unlike his own. Her posters of Japanese landscapes and American celebrities reflected the mixture of Noodle's heritage, and brought a smile to 2D's face, reminding him of the guitarist herself. 2D closed the door and walked down the hallway to Murdoc's room, banging his fist on the door.  
"Mudz, a' you in there?" He called out. There were a few thuds and curses before the door opened, revealing a very drained Murdoc, with a large knot on his head.  
"Wha' 'appened t'your head?" 2D asked, pointing to the obvious bump.  
"I fell when I came in las' night." Murdoc grunted in response, pushing past the blue haired man and making his way to the bathroom. "Some bloody idiot left their shoes laying in the middle of the floor." 2D held back a laugh at the image of a drunken Murdoc stumbling in to the house at midnight, trying to find his way through the dark hallway only to trip on a pair of hidden shoes and knock his head silly.  
"Oh don' you laugh, y'know if you weren't so busy wankin' it there in your bedroom you would be comin' in late too, and trippin' on some bastard's bloody shoes in the middle of the bloody floor!" Murdoc spat out, glaring at 2D and slamming the bathroom door shut.  
"If you say so, old man." 2D mumbled. "Where were you anyway?" he asked through the barrier.  
"Out. I wen' down the road a ways, to this bar I've been dyin' to check out. Wasn' half bad,"  
"You were there for 2 days." 2D said in disbelief.  
"Yeah? Was a good bar,"  
"I don' understand you," The singer mumbled under his breath, turning around and heading back to his room. He flopped himself on his bed, staring up at the ceiling.  
'I wonder what Noodle is doing right now.' He thought. 2D pulled out his phone and scrolled to his message thread with the guitarist.  
S: what're u up to??  
N: running the errands i was meant to yesterday, why? do you miss me?  
2D chuckled to himself.  
S: maybe a little  
S: when will u b back?  
N: maybe half an hour. you have been asleep foreeeeever :( i've been gone since 11!!!!  
S: come back to my room when ur home? i want to make last night up to u, i was looking forward to it... x  
N: if you insist toochi  
2D was about to place his phone back on his bedside table, when he got one last text message from Noodle.  
N: last night was nice anyway.  
2D smiled as a warm feeling grew in his chest. He rolled over, and he was asleep. 

2D woke up to the sound of his door opening.  
"Noodle?" He called out, sitting up in his bed. He glanced over at the clock, reading 3 o'clock.  
"Hai, D-san?" Replied Noodle in a low, husky voice. As 2D's eyes adjusted to being open and awake, he found Noodle's silhouette at the foot of his bed, leaning over it.  
"Are you awake, or do you want to postpone this longer?" Noodle teased, crawling on to his bed and over his body. Their faces were suddenly so close. 2D smirked.  
"I fink I'm ready now," he said, and connected their lips in a passionate kiss. Noodle tightened her legs around 2D's waist, simultaneously pressing her crotch on to his. He bucked his hips up, and rolled the two over so he was on top.  
"I don' fink so, luv. I'm runnin' the show t'day." 2D purred as he slid a hand between the pair's bodies down to Noodle's womanly parts.  
"Don't be gentle, Toochi." Noodle breathed as she entangled her fingers in 2D's rough blue hair, bringing his face down to hers in a rough make-out session. Noodle pressed firmly against his lips, sliding her tongue along his bottom lip. 2D opened his mouth, meeting her tongue with his and working together to please the other. 2D managed to unbutton Noodle's shorts, and slid a hand between her underwear and the now ineffective shorts. He teased her, gently rubbing his fingers over her sensitive area. Noodle whimpered in to 2D's lips and pressed her legs together. The man smirked and pulled away from the kiss.  
"I fink we need t' lose the clothes, luv." he said as he tugged Noodle's shirt over her head. Noodle giggled.  
"Watashi mo onaji kangae desu," she replied. Noodle in turn pulled 2D's shirt over his head. "Wha's that? Yo've got somefink on your shoulder," 2D said to Noodle in a mischievous voice. Noodle raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest.  
"Oh?" she said, giving her lover a half-smile. 2D dove down on to her shoulder, attacking it with kisses. Noodle erupted in to a fit of giggles and laughter, wrapping her arms around 2D.  
"Toochi! Toochi, yameru! You are going to leave a hickey!" she managed to get out between giggles.  
"'S th' point, kitten." 2D replied as he brought his face back up from his kiss-attack. He smiled down at the woman under him, who smiled back. Noodle lifted her head up and kissed 2D, bringing him back down to her. Somehow, they managed to kick their pants off and discard them on to the floor without breaking their make-out session a second time. 2D brought his hand back down to Noodle's entrance, and began to rub slow circles on her clit. This earned small moans from the woman, who opened her legs wider. 2D smiled in to Noodle's lips, picking up his pace slightly to gage a more intense reaction. He got it.  
Noodle broke their kiss, though not pulling too far away, and moaned against his lips.  
"Stuart..." she whispered. 2D inserted one finger inside of her, pumping slowly in and out. Noodle gasped and bit her lip.  
"Does it feel good, kitten?" 2D asked, keeping a slow and steady pace.  
"Hai," Noodle replied as her eyes closed and she tilted her head back slightly. 2D slowly inserted a second finger, picking up the pace as he did so. "O-Oh, Stu-" Noodle moaned and smiled as her body arched up in to his. 2D gradually started pumping in and out of her faster, gaining louder moans and tugs on his hair. Noodle was panting, and so was 2D. When he couldn't help himself anymore, 2D removed his fingers and licked them. Noodle opened one of her eyes and giggled.  
"A' you ready, luv?" he asked her. Noodle smiled and nodded.  
"Fuck me, Toochi." she said. Her demand took 2D by surprise, but further aroused him. 2D dove down and attacked Noodle's lips again. Between their bodies and using one hand to prop himself up, 2D grabbed his length and adjusted it so that it was brushing against Noodle's entrance.  
"Here we go," 2D whispered in to Noodle's ear. He thrusted once, penetrating Noodle at nearly full force. She cried out, biting down on to 2D's shoulder to keep quiet so neither of the other band member's heard. 2D let out a quiet moan. "Oh fuck, Noodle." he whispered, thrusting again, this time a little slower. Noodle only mustered out a quiet whimper. 2D eventually picked up a faster pace as Noodle's nails dragged down his back. The two were lost in their own world of ecstasy, pleasure, sweat, moans, and thrusts.  
2D was obsessed with hearing Noodle moan his name. He wasn't sure how long they had been going, or how many positions they had tried- currently he was on the bottom, and she was riding him- but he did know that he was close. Noodle felt so amazing around him, he never wanted it to stop. But he could only hold himself back for so long, and seeing her on top of him, her beautiful breasts bouncing with each thrust, 2D couldn't hold it anymore. For the grand finale, 2D flipped them over so Noodle was under him, and he took back control.  
"Hai, Stuart, I-I'm almost there..." she moaned out, gripping his shoulders.  
"C'mon kitten, cum with me." he whispered his demand in a sultry voice, thrusting harder, faster, deeper. The two of them came in sync, masking their moans with a deep kiss that could also be described as two people accidentally falling in to each other's faces.  
"Noodle... that was..." 2D panted after he regained composure.  
"Alright." Noodle panted back, locking eyes with 2D. A moment passed before she burst in to a fit of laughter. "Amazing. It was amazing, Toochi." she corrected herself. 2D smirked and flopped down next to her.  
"I could get used to tha'," he mumbled. 2D turned his head to look at Noodle, who was already gazing at him. He leaned in and placed a soft, gentle, lingering kiss on the woman's lips. When he pulled back, he smiled at her.  
"Is that an invitation to come back?" Noodle inquired as she traced small circles on 2D's bare and sweaty chest.  
"Or you could... y'know, stay tonight." he said, with a hint of- was that nervousness? - in his voice. This earned a beaming smile from Noodle, giving 2D's stomach butterflies.  
"Only if you want me to," she replied, giving him the decision to make.  
"Please." 2D said almost instantly. Noodle nodded, and laid her head down on his shoulder. A few moments of silence passed.  
"I think I'm going to take a shower, though. I'm all sweaty and it's only 6:30. I'll be back, Toochi." Noodle scooted out of bed, but before she was out of it entirely, she turned and placed a swift kiss on 2D's lips. Then her warmth was gone from his side.  
2D watched as she picked up a shirt- not knowing if it were his or hers- from the floor and threw it on over naked figure, and walked out of his room. 'Damn,' he thought. 'She's somefink else.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> holy shit i just went to reread what i posted and this chapter only posted half of it and not even the good half i'm sorry if u read it when it was fucked up i hope it's fixed now wtf


	4. iv. Misunderstanding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and so the angst begins

About a month had passed, and things with Noodle and 2D had remained relatively the same. They visited each other's rooms at night, fucking their brains out, and then falling asleep holding each other. Within the whole month, the pair had not gone one night without each other. They would wake up next to each other, lay and fool around for a few minutes, before getting up and starting the day. They might not admit it, but the two had begun to grow intense feelings for each other.   
This morning was no different. The night before, Noodle had stayed in 2D's room. When morning came, of course she was still there.   
"Ohayo, Stu." Noodle cooed warmly in to the man's ear. 2D smiled slightly in his sleep before grunting and rolling over.   
"Not yet, kitten. I'm still sleepy," he mumbled, simultaneously covering his face with a pillow. Noodle giggled and propped herself up.   
"Then sleep, Stu-pun! Sleep the day away!" Noodle teased as she rose from the bed and began to put on her pajamas that had been ripped off of her the night before. "I, shikashi, will not. I am going to have lunch with an old friend of mine, so I will be back later."  
"Alrigh', luv. I'll be here when yeh get back," 2D said sleepily in reply, keeping the pillow over his head. Noodle turned and smiled in the doorway.  
"Try not to get in too much trouble. Jaa ne, Toochi." she called, and closed the door behind her.   
Noodle went to her room, first showering and then changing in to a tie-in-the-back tank top and a pair of black shorts she hadn't worn in ages, and strapping on a pair of her knee-high boots. She made her way down to the kitchen, where Russel had been reading the paper and drinking his black coffee.   
"Ohayo, Papa!" Noodle chirped. She leaned in and pecked Russel on the cheek, before dancing over to the tea pot to pour herself a cup.   
"G'mornin', baby girl. Whadd're you all dressed up fo'?" Russel replied as he looked up from the paper. Noodle smiled as she sat down.   
"Today, I am going out in to town to meet Gabriel for lunch." she informed him. Russel raised an eyebrow.   
"Gabriel? Who dat?"  
"Do you not remember? Back when I was in high school, we were going to go to prom together because he could not find a date, but it never happened because we had to perform the night of the dance." As Noodle relayed the story, Russel nodded his head.   
"Oh I 'memba now. Ain't he the gay one?" he asked. Noodle nodded.   
"Hai. He's engaged now! I invited him to catch up over lunch." Noodle glanced at the time. "Maa, look at the time! I have been sleeping in way too much over the past couple of weeks." She stood up, and discarded her barely-drunken tea in to the sink. "I'm going to head out. If 2D asks where I am, tell him! Itte kimasu, Papa!" Noodle called, and she was gone. 

2D didn't wake up for another hour after Noodle had left. When he finally did, he didn't move from his bed for another 15 minutes. Since he didn't have Noodle to entertain him, 2D decided to check his phone; facebook, twitter, and instagram.   
'Oi, wha's this?' 2D thought, clicking on Noodle's instagram page. The latest picture posted was 45 minutes prior. It was of Noodle, dressed rather cutely if 2D might add, with a man's arm around her shoulder, and her kissing his cheek.   
"Wh... Wha'? Who is tha'?" 2D nearly shouted. The caption read, "nagai jikanganai no aisuru mimasen". After translating, 2D discovered it read 'long time no see dear'.   
"How... What... Why..?" was all the man could manage to say.   
"I though'..." 'I though' she liked me.'  
2D rolled himself out of bed, leaving his phone dropped on the floor. He managed to shrug on some shorts to make his way downstairs. Russel sat in the living room, enjoying a day off.   
"Af'anoon, 'D." he called out, keeping his cloudy eyes on the news channel on the TV.   
"Mornin', Russ." 2D replied weakly, going in to the kitchen to get himself some cereal.   
"'S wrong with you?" the bigger man asked, turning his head to catch a glimpse of the lanky singer. Instead of giving a reason, 2D responded:  
"Where's Noodz?"   
"Oh! She went out fo' lunch with a guy from school. She seemed pretty excited." Russel's words only further crushed 2D.   
*  
"So, Noodle, is there any guy you've got your eyes on?" Noodle blushed at her friend's question, looking down at her soda and fiddling with the straw.   
"Tabun..." she replied, looking back up and giggling at Gabriel like she was a child again.  
*  
2D felt absolutely crushed.   
''Ow could she do this t' me?' was the only thought in his head as he stared up at his ceiling. 2D violently shook his head, cupping his hands around his face.   
'Nuffink... She hasn' done anyfink t' you... She isn' your girlfrien'... She can shag any dullard she pleases...' The realization hit 2D like a train.   
*  
"Ja nai, we are not in a relationship..." 'Unfortunately.' Noodle had explained to her old friend what had been going on with 2D for the last month.   
"It sounds like he's in to you, Noodz." Gabriel teased, taking a fork full of his salad. Noodle blushed and put her chin in her hand.   
"I hope so."   
*  
"I can' stand this!!!" 2D hissed, nearly throwing himself out of bed.   
'I've gotta do somefink or I'm gonna drive meself insane,'   
2D picked up his phone and dialed the first number he thought of. It rang a few times, and then the receiver picked up.   
"Mudz? Yeh. I wanna get shitfaced."  
*  
Noodle had finished lunch, said goodbye to her friend, and was walking to the bus stop.   
'Gabriel seemed very... optimistic about my relationship with 2D.' she thought to herself as she walked down the sidewalk.   
'I want to agree with him. I'm scared, but...' Noodle stopped in her tracks.   
'I think I love him.'  
*  
After getting off of the phone with Murdoc, 2D got in the shower. He didn't care it was not even 4 o'clock yet, he needed some sort of distraction from the Japanese guitarist that remained so prominent in his mind.   
'Fuck. Fuck. FUCK. I need t' forget abou' her. Abou' us.' 2D felt the water fall over his face. 'Maybe if I... preten' i' never happened, things can go back t' normal.'   
2D released a long exhale of breath.   
'I jus' need to forget.'  
*  
"Konichiwa, I'm home!" Noodle called as she opened the front door to her shared house. Russel was sleeping on the couch, a bit of drool hanging from the side of his mouth. Noodle giggled.   
"Papa, okiru! Okiru!" Noodle chanted. Russel didn't budge, so Noodle got louder.   
"OKIRU!" she screeched, finally getting Russel to jump up.   
"Wh- Huh? Wha?" Russel looked around frantically. Noodle was in a fit of laughter.   
"Oh, c'mon Baby Girl, you know how little I sleep." Russel whined as he flopped himself back down on the couch. Noodle sat down on the floor next to his head.   
"Anything new in the news?" she inquired. Russel shrugged.   
"Yunno, the usual political shit that's been pissin' the world off lately." he said, and snorted angrily. "I'm 'bout tired of this cracka ass Trump on the front page and on every channel," Noodle giggled at his words and nodded in agreement.   
"Hai. He is getting old." The two sat in silent for a moment, watching the TV.   
"Is 2D home?" Noodle spoke up, looking around the room. Russel shook his head, surprising Noodle.   
"Nah. Him and Mudz went out 'bout an hour ago. Said they was goin' outta town for a while, don't know how long they'd be." he said. Noodle's shoulders drooped sadly.   
"Oh," she said. Noodle stood up and stretched, trying not to let her disappointment show.   
"Hai, eeto, I am going to go to my room then, watashi wa kangaemasu. See you later Papa!" Noodle bid farewell to Russel, and slumped upstairs to her room.   
*  
2D had no idea what he was doing, but at the same time he knew exactly what he was doing.   
He was trying to forget Noodle.   
Noodle. The girl who had fucked feelings in to him.   
2D groaned in to his hands at the bar. Murdoc, sitting beside him, gave him a pat on the back.   
"Mate, I dunno wha's botherin' ya, but whatever i' is you need another drink." he said, sliding a shot down to him. 2D silently downed it.   
'Wha' am I doin'? She posted a picture wiv'a guy she's never mentioned befo', it's probably nothin'! But...' 2D winced, half at his thoughts, and half at the alcohol burning his throat. 'I can'. I can' take any chances. Not with my feelin's. I have to end it befo' I get hurt.'  
*  
Noodle groaned.   
"I'm so BORED!" she shouted in to her pillow.   
'When will Toochi be back?' she wondered to herself, then deciding on sending him a text.   
N: toooooochiiii, where aaaaare youuuuu :(:(:( i miss you!!   
2 minutes. 5 minutes. 15 minutes. Half an hour. No answer.   
'This is weird... He always answers in like two seconds.' Noodle thought. She sent another message.  
N: will you be home tonight? x  
Another 15 minutes go by. No reply. Noodle sighed sadly.   
N: okay then... if you see these later then, just come up to my room when you get home. well hang out in here tonight. :* i'll keep a spot on the bed warm for you!!!  
After she sent it, Noodle tossed her phone to the side and threw her face in to her pillow.   
'Is he mad at me? Did I do something wrong?' Swirls of insecure thoughts were flying around Noodle's mind. 'I can't believe I'm stressing over a boy to text me back... I'm 26 years old. I have other problems to pay attention to. But...' Noodle shook her head. 'I just want to talk to him.'  
*  
The buzzing on 2D's phone matched the buzz he had going. Several shots down, 2D was eyeing the women in the bar, searching for the one he would replace Noodle with. Once the third buzz in his pocket went off, 2D glanced at his phone and saw Noodle's messages. His heart shriveled up in his chest.   
'... toochi... i'll be keeping a spot warm for you...'  
2D nearly threw his phone across the room with a loud curse.   
''Ow can she jus' say tha'...' he thought, clenching one fist as the other put the phone back in his pocket.   
'Damn. This is gonna be harder than I though',' 2D scanned the bar room, trying to take it all in in his groggy state of mind.   
Murdoc had taken him to the bar that he had mentioned when he began his 'relationship' with Noodle; the one just outside of town that 'wasn't all that bad'.   
"Lookit that bird over there, Tusspot. 's givin' you th' bedroom eyes, huhuh." Murdoc mumbled to 2D, pointing in the direction of a bleach blond twirling her hair in the corner who was indeed eyeing down one of the two men.   
2D looked. Observed. Thought.   
'She's blonde. Noodle 'as black hair. She's got some major hooters. Noodle 'asn't got too much goin' on on 'er chest. She's tan. Noodle's pale. She's... She's not Noodle.' 2D felt his stomach churn.   
"Mudz, ge'mme anotha drink." 2D demanded. "I'm goin' in."   
*  
There was the sound of a door closing, some footsteps, giggling and hushed voices. Noodle blinked her eyes open sleepily and yawned.   
'What time is it?' she wondered, and rolled over to face her clock.   
3:19 AM  
'It must be Toochi and Murdoc.' Noodle concluded, smiling softly and closing her eyes again. 'He'll wake me up when he comes in for bed.' 

Noodle woke again when the sun shone through her bamboo blinds. She stretched and rolled over on to her other side, smiling.   
"Ohayo, wake up Tooch-" Noodle stopped. Her bed was empty. Her normal nighttime/morning companion was no where to be found.   
'He's not... He didn't come in last night.' Noodle frowned. 'That's very strange...'   
She rose from bed, quickly putting on a pair of pajama pants to make it downstairs for breakfast.   
Russel was already awake and in the kitchen working on breakfast for himself.   
"Mornin' Babygirl," he greeted, mixing some eggs. "You're up earlier than usual." Noodle smiled half-heartedly.   
"Good morning Papa," she responded. "Did you see if 2D and Murdoc were home?"   
"Yeah, I think I saw the car in the driveway. I didn't hear them come in though, so they must'a been pretty late." Russel said as he dropped the raw eggs on to the frying pan. Noodle frowned.   
"Oh..." she mumbled, taking a few steps backward. "I-I'll check to see if he's in his room." and she disappeared up the stairs.   
'This is weird... I don't have a good feeling about this... He got home late, he was with Murdoc, he didn't come to my room, he wasn't in the kitchen...' Noodle was preparing herself for the worst. And when she opened the door to 2D's room, that's what she got.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was was messed up too absolutely amazing!!! it only posted the first half of the chapter. it should be fixed now i hope.


	5. v. Triple B

She was blonde. Blonde, busty, and beautiful. Noodle could see every inch of skin on her tanned body- that is, every inch of skin that wasn't covered by 2D's bedsheets, or 2D's body. Noodle couldn't breathe. Every muscle in her body was stunned, her brain not yet processing what exactly had happened.   
Eyes wide, mouth slightly open, Noodle cleared her throat.   
"Uh- Um- Tooch- I mean, Stu- Stuart?" Noodle hoarsely called out.  
*  
"... Stuart?"   
2D woke up to a soft voice he was pleasantly familiar with. But there was an edge to it that was not usually there- hurt. 2D sat there for a few seconds, trying to remember where he was and why she would sound like that. And then he remembered.   
He remembered her instagram post. He remembered his night out with Murdoc. And he remembered the woman that lay next to him, and the gross sex he had had the night before.   
2D shot upright in his bed. "Oh, u-uh, Noodle..." Silence. "Good- Uh, g'mornin'." 2D could see the pain in her eyes. 'She looks so... hurt.' Her expression was enough to make 2D physically wince.   
"Papa has breakfast ready." she said weakly. 2D nodded. For what felt like forever, they just stared at each other. 2D was lost in her blatantly hurt expression. Her eyebrows were furrowed, her eyes glimmering with pain even in the darkness.   
'I did this t' her.'  
The air was filled with so much tension, you could almost reach out and grab it. Then, 2D's 'friend' woke up.   
*  
"Good mornin', 2D!" said the blonde woman in 2D's bed. Noodle cringed, trying to hold back the tears.   
'That's what I would say to him.'  
"I just came to uh- Came to let you know breakfast was ready. I'm sure there is enough for the both of you... Sayonara now." Noodle choked out, and nearly ran for her room. She almost slammed the door shut, and collapsed on her bed. It was a few seconds before she felt the first tear on her cheek.   
"He... He doesn't love me." The realization hit Noodle like a freight train.   
'All of this time. I have given him my body. I have spent all of my nights with him. I have done things for him I have done for no one else.' Her body was shaking with sobs now. She buried herself in her covers, trying to shield herself from the pain of her current reality.   
'I let my guard down. I knew his womanizing history, and I just threw caution to the wind and let myself fall for him.' Noodle mentally punched herself in the face. 'Watashi wa shitte ita hazudesu. I should have known.'  
She isn't sure how long she cried for, but Noodle allowed herself to let it all out. Eventually, she was worn out, and she dosed off in to a tear-induced coma.   
*  
2D could hear her sobbing as she passed her room. Every sob was like a dagger in his heart. Even know, several hours after his new blonde friend Jannette had left, he could still hear it ringing in his ears, cascading in his mind.   
'Wha' is she so distraught fo'?' 2D thought to himself as he sat on the back porch of the band's home, smoking a cigarette.   
'She's th' one who moved on firs'. I was only tryin' to protect meself.' He took a drag from his cig and put it out on the ground.   
'I jus' need to forget abou' it. Time will make both of us feel better.' 2D stood from his chair and reentered the house, heading for the kitchen for his first beer of the day.   
'Might as well start early.'  
*  
Noodle sat in the kitchen, stirring her pot of ramen she had cooking on the stove. Russel was off at work, and the only other car the band had at their house was missing, which lead Noodle to believe Murdoc and 2D had gone out drinking again.   
'Just... breathe. Yataiki. Yataiki. Yataiki.'  
Noodle scanned the kitchen, looking for the radio. Her eyes landed on it, and Noodle left her noodles for just a second so she could turn it on.   
"Yataiki," she whispered, and flipped the radio on. Loud, joyful pop music began to fill the kitchen. A smile crept on to her face. "Suberashī!"  
Noodle hopped back over to her noodles, shaking her hips and bobbing her head. She hummed to the tune, occasionally whistling or singing bits of the song she knew. For a moment, all of her problems, disappeared, and she was in harmony.   
*  
2D heard the music before he entered the kitchen. He knew he would see Noodle, but he didn't stop himself.   
When he turned the corner in to the kitchen, his heart skipped a beat. There, he saw her. She looked...   
'Happy,' 2D thought. His eyes traveled over the woman's petite figure. She was smiling, subtly dancing, humming, tapping the wooden spoon she was using for her noodles to the beat. 2D smiled at the sight.   
'She looks so stunnin'.' he hummed in his mind. Almost immediately, all happiness erased from his mind as he remembered their situation. Suddenly, he felt awkward standing there, secretly admiring her.   
"Ahem," 2D cleared his throat. Noodle almost dropped her spoon.   
"Bikkurishita!" she spun around, her face visibly sinking when she saw the man standing in the doorway.  
"O-Oh, it's just you To- Stuart." Noodle switched off the radio, keeping her face down and staring in to the pot. 2D winced.   
"Tha's the second time you've called me by me name t'day..." he pointed out, and rather dumbly. Noodle said nothing.   
2D went to the fridge, and grabbed his water. He stood there for a moment, his back to the guitarist. He couldn't bring himself to move from his spot. He was so close to her, closer than he had anticipated getting to her again. If he reached out his arm behind him, he could almost...  
"Why, Stuart?" Noodle's question snapped him back to reality and basically threw him off of a bridge. 2D definitely had not expected Noodle to ask him something so blatantly and out of the blue.   
As he thought about the question, something in his chest burned. It grew more intense, and 2D realized it was anger. Yes. He was angry at his little Noodle girl.   
''Ow can she be playin' dumb with me? Does she fink I didn't see? Does she really fink I'm tha' stupid?'  
2D turned and faced Noodle, and took a step toward her. Noodle looked up at him, with all of her hurt showing plainly on her face. With closer inspection, 2D could see the bags she had under her eyes from crying. He almost shied away, but for once, he didn't let himself.   
"Why?" 2D repeated. Noodle stood her ground. "Why did I go out with Murdoc and find the bustiest, hottest bird in town? Is tha' wha' you're askin' me?" 2D could see Noodle's heart break in her eyes, but he didn't believe it. He felt his own hurt boiling over.   
"Because you did i' t' me. You went out and had lunch with some bloke and posted all over instagram about' i'." 2D felt the relief of letting his emotions out almost immediately, and held back a sigh. Noodle's expression changed instantly as well, which prompted 2D to keep going. "Wha', you though' I wouldn't see? I saw i', luv. I saw the picture in all its glory. An' it bloody hurt." 2D was now holding back tears. Noodle's expression had changed from pain, to blank, to... was that, anger in her eyes as well?  
*  
"... You went out and had lunch with some bloke..."  
Everything clicked in Noodle's mind now. The picture she had posted on instagram had obviously looked like a lunch date to 2D. Noodle felt herself becoming angry, just like 2D was feeling right now, she supposed.   
Instead of listening to the rest of 2D's accusation, Noodle took her noodle's off of the stove and drained them, putting them in a bowl and grabbing a fork. 2D had finished talking, and was staring at her expectedly. He was breathing heavily, like he had just run a mile and was out of breath.   
"Stuart, tell me one thing." Noodle asked, as calmly as she could. 2D looked at her, confused and a little shocked. His eyes were glistening, showing he was holding back tears.   
"... w-wha'?"  
"Did you look on Gabriel's instagram page?"  
2D frowned. Noodle was expecting a 'no.'  
"N-no, why would I 'ave looked at 'im?"   
Exactly. Now Noodle could continue.   
"He's gay." she said, letting her anger out with her venomous tone. She looked 2D directly in his dark eyes, which widened with surprise.   
"We met up to catch up on our lives over lunch, because I hadn't seen him for years." Noodle clenched her fork until her knuckles were white. She stepped to the door frame, and stopped in her tracks.   
"We talked about our relationship statuses. Not only is he gay, but he's engaged." Noodle continued, a little quieter.   
"I told him about us. I told him... I thought we were moving toward a relationship. I guess I had better call him and tell him I was wrong."  
With those last words, Noodle slipped out of the door frame, and quietly made her way back to her room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hooray for sloppy writing


	6. vi. Date

"He's gay."  
Noodle's words echoed in 2D's brain after she had exited the room.   
'Fuck.' was all 2D could think. His chest was heavy with an immense sense of guilt.   
'I jus' fucked some broad 'n bragged abou' it fo' basically no reason...' 2D groaned, and hung his head in his hands. 'I'm garbage.'  
There was only one way to solve this, and that was communication. Lack of communication had gotten them in to this mess, and 2D sure as hell wasn't going to make it worse; so he set off up the stars after her.   
"Noodle?" he called out as he approached her door.   
"Nani?" Noodle responded, quieter than 2D's bellow. Her voice sounded weaker; broken, somewhat. 2D's heart shriveled in his chest.   
"I fink we need t' have a chat," he said. There was a moment of silence. Then, shuffling noises on the other side of the door, the knob turned, and there was Noodle. Her bangs hung in her eyes, shielding her expression from 2D, but the thin line that made her mouth told the man everything he needed to know. 2D wanted nothing more than to press his lips to hers, but he refrained himself. He knew better, and didn't want to further the hurt.   
"Nan desu ka?" she spoke, keeping her gaze on the floor.   
"Er..." 2D didn't understand her question, and scratched the back of his neck. Noodle sighed.   
"What do you want?" she 'repeated'.  
"I want to talk." he said. Noodle paused for a moment, before she opened her door wider and stood to the side to allow 2D entrance.   
2D walked and sat on the edge of her bed. Noodle kept her place by the door, but shut it to give them privacy in their empty house.   
"I... I didn' know." he began. He saw Noodle tense up, and nearly rushed over to wrap his arms around her for comfort.   
"All I did was talk about you," Noodle whispered. 2D flinched and clenched his fists in his lap.   
"Noodle..." he trailed off. Noodle sighed, and slowly dragged herself to sit next to him, keeping a safe distance.   
"Yurushite- I'm sorry," she murmured. Her eyes rested on her knees covered in the black fabric of her leggings.   
"I did not think how the photo would be perceived. I..." 2D could tell this was hard for her, as it was him, but he let her continue.   
"We spoke of his wedding plans, and of his boyfriend, his family, just catching up." Noodle sniffled. "When he asked if I was seeing someone, I just... I smiled at him, and told him about us. I told him I had known you for a very long time, and that we had been developing a more physical relationship, and I... I thought..." she stopped for a moment, like she was embarrassed to continue.   
"Go on, luv." 2D encouraged.   
"I told him I thought we were going to start officially seeing each other." The silence after Noodle's statement was deafening. 2D opened his mouth to speak, but Noodle had not finished.   
"I told him I liked you- no, I adored you." Noodle was choking up now. "Gabriel told me that from what I told him, it looked like we would 'be the next Elvis and Priscilla' but-" she cut herself off, unable to finish her sentence. Noodle gripped the bedsheets, willing and begging herself not to break down in front of the man who had hurt her.   
"N-Noodle, I... I'm sorry," was all 2D could manage to say. Another period of silence stretched out between the pair. The silence allowed for 2D to hear Noodle's labored breathing from holding her tears back, and he couldn't refrain himself from scooting closer to the guitarist and engulfing her in a hug.   
*  
Noodle's breath hitched in her throat as she felt 2D's long arms embrace her. For a moment, Noodle had to hold herself back from violently pushing him away and spewing profanities at him. But she knew she needed the comfort, and there was no better kind than comfort from her love- even though he was the reason she needed comforting in the first place.   
"I'm so sorry Noodle girl," he whispered, holding her even tighter.   
"I fink I was startin' t' fall in luv with you," 2D confessed, slowly withdrawing himself from her. Noodle almost screamed. Her mind was racing and spinning with all of these new confessions and discoveries happening at once.   
"Tha's probably why I acted so, er, drastically." Noodle visibly tensed up at the mention of 2D's new lady friend.   
"I was so scared of bein' left in th' dirt tha' I wanted t' be the one who had the upper hand," 2D looked all around the room, trying to find something he could look at that wasn't her.   
"Bu' honestly, I know I had somefink beautiful in you, 'n tha's why I got so scared and jumped t' conclusions, 'n now I know I can' have you again 'cause of how badly I messed up-"  
Noodle opened her mouth to protest. Her heart was racing and all she wanted to do was scream 'STOP IT ISN'T TOO LATE I STILL WANT YOU I STILL LOVE YOU WE CAN FIX THIS', but 2D didn't give her the opportunity.   
"- so I wan' t' try t' go back t' normal. I wan' t' go back t' you bein' my li'l Noodle girl, 'fore th' drinkin' and the sex and this mess. I jus' wan' t' be friends again, please. I can live without havin' you as me girlfriend, but I can' live without you as me friend." 2D exhaled deeply, finally managing to look Noodle in the eyes. She closed her slightly agape mouth and looked him back in his dark eyes.   
'No.' she almost said. 'I want to be your girlfriend. We can fix this. We can work together.' but she didn't. Instead, Noodle smiled sadly.   
"Hai. On one condition." Noodle replied. 2D raised an eyebrow. "Wha'?"  
"Gabriel asked me to be a bridesmaid in his wedding. I am going to need a date..." Noodle sighed, forcing herself to continue. "I cannot see myself going with anyone else. Please go with me, as my best friend." 2D smiled widely at her, revealing his signature tooth gap. Noodle nearly melted in to his lap.   
"'Course I will, Noodle! I wouldn' miss i' fo' th' world!" he said happily, and threw his arms around Noodle to embrace her again; this time, on a much happier note. 

*

"Ohayo, Toochi." a familiar voice sung in to 2D's ear. He smiled in his sleep, rolling over and reaching his arm out to wrap around the waist of his partner. 2D opened his eyes to drink in her beauty. The sun shone down through the window, illuminating her pale complexion. His eyes traveled up her shoulders and traced her jawline, finding their way to her eyes. 2D almost lost himself in her emerald beauties. He felt himself reach his arm out and brush his hand against her cheek, running his thumb along the bone and down lightly along her bottom lip. 2D's girl giggled.   
"Kore wa nan desu ka?" she asked softly, earning a silly grin from 2D.   
"I 'ave no idea what you jus' said kitten, bu' I do know I luv lookin' a' you." 2D replied. He cupped her face with his hand. The girl pressed her cheek in to his palm in return, smiling and fluttering her eyes closed. 2D took his hand and traced it down her small, naked frame. His hands wandered down her arms, back up and down her sides, all the way down to her slim thighs. 2D's gaze found its way back up her body to her eyes. He brushed a strand of silky black hair out of the way and tucked it behind her ear. He smiled widely and brushed their noses together.   
"I luv you, Noodle."  
~  
2D's alarm clock jerked him from his deep sleep as he lazily opened his eyes and huffed.   
"Oh shut i', you." he grumbled at the clock as he slammed his fist down on to its knob to silence it.   
'Another dream,' he thought, furrowing his brows in disappointment. As 2D sat up and prepared himself to get dressed, he thought back on the last seven days.   
Day 1- Confrontation with Noodle. Agree to be friends. Set the date for the wedding; 3 months from now.   
Day 2- Awkward sexual tension starts that hadn't been there before. Murdoc makes a comment on Jannette at dinner and Noodle makes an awkward excuse to leave the table.   
Day 3- Meets Jannette for lunch to tell her he isn't looking for a relationship. Ends up going back to her place and screwing. Feels immensely guilty and can't look Noodle in the eye.   
Day 4- Noodle tells Russel about the wedding date. Asks 'are you two dating' and gets an awkward 'no we're just friends' as a reply.   
Day 5- Jannette comes over to provide a ride to work, Noodle answers the door- very awkward and uncomfortable encounter. Comes home and Noodle is asleep on the couch in only a shirt. Carries her to bed and kisses her on the forehead.   
Day 6- After work, Noodle is the only one home. Dinner is awkward. They watch a movie after Noodle insisted on it, probably to try to make it less awkward, but it fails. Sitting on separate couches upright and properly entire time. Nothing is accomplished.   
Day 7- Jannette invites everyone to dinner the next day. Noodle tries to politely decline but Russel isn't having it. Everyone is forced in to it.   
2D sighed as he finished tying his shoe, and looked up to face the cluttered wall in front of him.   
"This is gonna be a wonde'ful evenin'." he said sarcastically, and headed downstairs. Russel was sitting at the kitchen table, on a laptop that 2D didn't know he had.   
"Mornin' Russ," 2D greeted, grabbing a glass and pouring a cup of tea.   
"Mornin'? It's 1:30 in the afternoon, 'D." Russel replied, laughing. 2D chuckled back.   
"I know, bu' i's mornin' for me!" He sat down at his spot at the table to the left of Russel.   
"What time we meetin' Jannette for dinner?" Russel asked, switching his focus back on the computer screen. 2D almost visibly cringed. 'Though' he'd forgotten abou' tha'.'  
"Oh yeah. Uh, we was finkin' maybe meetin' at the restaurant at 7:30. Sound alrigh'?" 2D was hoping Russel would decide that tonight was a bad idea and that they should call it off, but that wasn't the case.   
"Sounds good." Russel was silent for a moment before speaking again. "'D, I know it's been a while since you've had yourself a girl..." 'Oh god,' 2D thought. 'Here we go.'  
"... but I'm glad to see you got yourself a broad. I know it's only been like a week, but still."   
"Ah, fanks Russ." 2D said, taking another sip of tea. The awkward feeling in his stomach was building up and threatening to overflow.   
"Nah, man. She's a good girl. Pretty. Funny. Not like some slut you'd pull from a show." Russel went on. "D'ya like her?"  
2D froze.  
'Do I like her?' he asked himself.   
"Well, yeah I do." He wasn't entirely lying.   
'I do like 'er. She is pretty 'n funny. I's jus'...' 2D held in a sigh. 'She's not wha' I was goin' fo'.'  
"Good," Russel said, and patted 2D on the back. "I'm glad ya happy, 'D." 2D wanted to get lost somewhere.   
"Fanks Russ, really." he said as he stood and placed his empty tea cup in the sink.   
"Righ'. Well. I'm gonna head off t' work, then. I've only go' a four hour shift t'day, 2-6. I'll meet you all here and we'll head off, yeah?"   
"Sounds good, man. We'll be here. Have a good day at work and call if ya need anything."  
"I will," 2D said as he opened and closed the front door, and strolled to his convenience store job a few blocks over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not too much happens in this chapter tbh :-/ it's kind of a filler i guess? originally i was going to combine these two chapters but this one was already over 2000 words so i had to cut it down   
> anyway thank u for reading i hope u liked it!!


	7. vii. Dinner

"Quickest four hours of me life," 2D mumbled as he closed the front door to the Gorillaz's house behind him.   
"I'm home!" he called out. Nobody answered him.   
"Alrigh' you lot. Meet down here in an hour." he called again, making his way up the stairs.   
'Hopefully no one heard me and we can forget all about this bloody nigh',' 2D thought gloomily as he opened and closed the door to his room.   
*  
"... Meet down here in an hour!"   
'Chikushō!' Noodle cursed in her mind. She had just gotten out of the shower, and was going to take a moment to put on a face mask, but she hadn't realized what time it was.   
'I guess that'll have to wait,' she thought, as she hurriedly wrapped herself in a towel and skittered out of the bathroom- only to nearly bump in to 2D.   
"Yare yare! Aa, it is just you Too- Stuart. I- Uh, Sorry." Noodle exclaimed as she took a step back from the man's figure.   
"O-Oh it's- er- Noodle, you- I- I gotta go." 2D was barely able to get that small sentence out before he was down the hall. Then, he stopped. 2D turned around slowly, and looked at Noodle.   
Noodle was frozen in her place. She could not back away, or run, or do anything. She was glued to the spot by 2D's intense gaze.   
'What is he looking at?'  
"Stuart...?" Noodle almost inaudibly whispered. 2D said nothing, and took a small step forward. His eyes were flicking up and down her small figure, covered only by the towel. Noodle resisted her urge to cover up more properly, not wanting to snap 2D out of his 'trance' as he gazed at her. Slowly, Noodle felt her grip loosening on the towel.   
'Don't do it.' she scolded herself in her mind, trying to make her fists reclaim a tight grip on the fabric. It wasn't working.   
'Kono yarou! Don't drop the towel!'  
Finally, Noodle snapped out of it. She gripped her towel and hurried off to her room, refusing to turn and look 2D in the eye.   
*  
'What in the bloody hell was tha' you wanker?'  
For the last 45 minutes, 2D had not let himself forget Noodle's expression as she literally turn and ran from him in the hallway.   
'She probably thinks you're some sort of freak now. Nice goin' you dingbat.'  
2D had dressed himself in a very nice dark purple button down shirt for the evening, paired with a pair of black Nordstrom pants and Berluti dress shoes. His transformation from jeans and a tshirt to actual formal, dressy clothes impressed himself.   
'I don't look half bad,' 2D thought to himself as he fixed his collar in his personal bathroom. When he was finally satisfied with his appearance, 2D headed downstairs to find Russel already in the living room, waiting for the other three. He was clad in a grey suit with a yellow button-down Polo Ralph-Lauren shirt, matching pants, and leather Gucci dress shoes.   
"'Ey, 'D." he greeted as 2D entered the room.   
"'Ey, Russ." 2D replied as he took a seat next to him. "You excited?" Russel chuckled.   
"Yeah. Not often we get t' go out and have ourselves a big time. I'm ready to get to know this Jannette of yours." the older man replied. 2D nodded.   
"Yeah. It'll be nice."   
"Junbi dekimashita," called Noodle from up the stairs.   
'Oh shit. I'm not ready.' 2D thought, squeezing his eyes shut. He knew when Noodle entered, not only was it going to be awkward, but she was going to look devastatingly gorgeous, and he was going to have to find some excuse to compliment her, and it was just going to be a big mess-  
"Baby girl isn't a baby girl anymore! She's a young lady!" Russel commented, giving 2D the cue to open his eyes. When he did, he instantly regretted it.   
Noodle stood in the stairway, wearing a mid-thigh, strapless, figure-fitting, wine red dress with her favorite knee-high platform boots. Her eyes donned a smoky shadow effect, and her lips matched the color of her dress. 2D almost forgot to breathe.   
'Oh my God,' was all he could think.   
Noodle blushed and chuckled at Russel.   
"No Papa, I am still your Baby Girl. What do you think?" she asked. "Were the boots too much?"  
"No!" 2D and Russel both said in sync. Russel and Noodle looked at 2D with raised eyebrows. 'Fuck.'  
"I-I mean, i's, uh, formal with a bi' of flair, I-I's your thing, Noodle girl!"   
Noodle's gaze lingered on 2D for a second longer, before her attention was brought back to Russel.   
"Yeah, 'D's got it. It's kick ass. It adds your own little twist to an otherwise formal outfit, and it works!" he said. Noodle smiled at him.   
"Arigato, Papa. Is Murdoc down yet?"  
"'Is Murdoc down yet' Oh blah blah blah I'm comin'!" came the respective voice from up the stairs. "Jus' 'cause I'm the last one down you lot are gonna be givin' me hell the whole way there, I can feel i'."  
Noodle chuckled.   
"No, Murdoc-san, you are not late, we know."   
"Come on, cracka ass. We're waitin'."  
2D sat quietly next to Russel, not taking his eyes off of Noodle.   
'She should be lookin' like tha' out on a date wiff me, not goin' to dinner to meet the bird I'm screwin'. he thought frustratedly. 'You're doin' a wonderful job with the ladies, Tusspot.'  
"'D, ya comin?" Russel called. In his few seconds of self loathing, 2D hadn't noticed that everyone had risen and was waiting for him at the door.  
"O-Oh, righ'." 2D mumbled, and rose to follow everyone to the car. 

The ride was definitely not pleasant, but it wasn't unpleasant. They sat in their usual order; Murdoc driving, 2D in the passenger seat, and Noodle and Russel in the back. Noodle sat behind Murdoc, so of course 2D had the perfect angle of her face in the rear view mirror.   
Russel and Murdoc were going back and forth with each other, arguing over who was going to pay or how they were going to split the bill, but 2D couldn't keep his eyes off of Noodle.   
In a matter of 7 minutes they were parked and about to disembark.   
"Wow, dullard. You really picked out a nice joint," Murdoc remarked, surprisingly without the usual hint of sarcasm in his voice. 2D smirked.   
Jannette was standing by the entrance to the restaurant, fiddling with her phone and looking around to see where her party was. 2D tried to admire her the way he admired Noodle, standing there in a blue knee-length dress with thin straps for sleeves, and black pumps. He allowed his eyes to travel down her body, imagining what it would look like naked, but it did nothing for him. His mind just went straight back to Noodle.   
Just then, Jannette caught sight of the group.   
"Stu, babe! Over here!" she called, waving her hands and motioning in their direction.   
'Bloody hell,' 2D thought, trying to keep his cringe on the inside. 'Wha's wrong wiff me?'  
"'Ello there Jannette, you're looking ravishing." Murdoc greeted, smiling his signature half-smile.   
"Nice to see you, Jannette." Russel added. Noodle remained quiet, giving the woman a small smile and a polite bow.   
"'Ello luv," 2D said, giving her a brisk peck on the cheek. Jannette smiled and linked arms with him.   
"I'm absolutely famished, you lot took forever!"   
"It's literally 6:55." Noodle commented. Everyone darted their eyes in Noodle's direction. Jannette's mouth was slightly ajar, like she was about to say something, but she wasn't quite sure what.   
"My God Noodle, who pissed in your cornflakes?" Murdoc snickered, earning a punch in the shoulder from the guitarist.   
"Kutaburu, Murdoc-san. I'm just sleep deprived." Noodle sneered at Murdoc, then turned to Jannette with a half-hearted smile only 2D could see through.   
"Sumimasen, Jannette. My manners escaped me."   
Jannette paused for a moment, looking between the green wrinkled goth and the petite Asian woman, before smiling awkwardly and waving a hand.   
"No darling it's alright. Let's just head inside."

At the table, Jannette chose her seat beside 2D. Noodle sat across from Jannette and next to Russel, leaving Murdoc to sit at the head of the table.   
Each individual took their menus and looked over them, making small talk about favorite foods and wines.   
"Alrigh' Russ, you're goin' t' be the designated driver tonigh' 'cause I'm havin' me a few drinks huhuh." Murdoc joked, earning a giggle from Jannette. 2D, Noodle, and Russel knew better than to laugh, because they knew what a drunk Murdoc was capable of.   
"If you say so, Mudz. Jus' don't go crazy."

After the food was ordered, and everyone had their drinks, the real conversation began.   
"So, Jannette, how long have you lived here in Essex?" Russel asked, leaning forward in his chair.   
"Oh for as long as I can remember. I think my mother and myself moved down here from Staffordshire when I was in Grade 5, so I can't really remember much else." Jannette answered. Russel nodded.   
"That's neat. We ain't lived here long, we usually bounce around. But we do like it here, right y'all?"   
"Oh yes, we like it very much." Murdoc cooed as he swirled his fruity cocktail around in the glass. Noodle remained silent, her gaze seemingly far off somewhere else as her chin rested in her palm. 2D felt himself staring at her, taking in all of her radiant beauty while she was not looking.   
'This is so hard.'  
*  
'Why does he keep staring at me?' Noodle thought to herself. She wasn't making direct eye contact, but Noodle could feel 2D's black eyes boring in to her skull. She wasn't sure if she liked it or if she wanted him to stop.   
"What about you, Noodle? Where are you from? I'm curious, with your accent and all," Jannette turned the focus of conversation to Noodle, causing the young lady to jump in her seat.   
"Washi?" she asked, earning a somewhat empty look from the blonde. "Me?"  
"Yes, you! I want to say you're from China, but I don't want to be making assumptions."  
"Actually, i's Japan." 2D spoke up, smirking and giggling slightly. Jannette turned and raised an eyebrow at her partner.   
"Oh?" she said, intrigued.   
'Oh is right, Jannette.' Noodle thought frustratedly. 'I can tell my own story.'  
"Hai, I am from Japan." she reaffirmed strongly, shooting 2D a glare that caused him to avert his eyes.   
"When I was 10, my caregiver shipped me to Murdoc in a Fed-Ex crate with my Les Paul guitar, where I auditioned for the band, and I've been here ever since." 'Spare the time I almost died shooting a music video and was gone for 4 years, came back, disappeared again, unleashed a demon and had to kill it before I came back for good.'  
"You were... Shipped?" Jannette asked in disbelief. This time, Russel spoke up.   
"Das right. Our little Baby Girl came to us in a tiny box all the way from Japan." he said proudly. Jannette nodded her head and smiled.   
"Oh, uh, that's cool! I never really used Fed-Ex, it was always SnailMail for my mom. I never met my dad, he..." Jannette began to tell the two listening men the story of her law enforcement father who was killed in the line of duty.   
Noodle, half listening to the story, began to question her own past- again.   
'I never met my father, so... I don't know what it is like to lose one.' she thought to herself.  
'Wait...' Noodle looked up from where she was staring on the table. She looked at Russel, who was listening intently to Jannette's tale of a brave father.   
'Russel...' Noodle thought. 'He may as well be my dad.'   
Russel was a very influential father figure in Noodle's life, teaching her right and wrong, left from right, red from blue. She watched as his eyebrows rose and fell with awe at the story of the officer and smiled. What she would do without him, she didn't know.  
'Murdoc.' Noodle had not always been fond of everything Murdoc did, but he was like her second father nonetheless.   
'Uncle Murdy.' Noodle recited in her head and giggled under her breath. The gross, green, pale complexion both intrigued and disgusted Noodle. It was a combination only Murdoc could achieve, and she loved him for it.   
'They may not be blood relatives, but they're all I've got. I love these goons with my whole heart.' Noodle felt tears threatening to surface as she got sentimental with herself, before she turned to 2D.   
'2D...' Noodle thought longingly.   
'Not a father figure.' she held back a sad chuckle. 'He used to be so much like a brother to me...' she pondered, furrowing her eyebrows together. Noodle knew deep down there was no going back for the two of them, and it hurt her heart. She loved 2D, and she knew it. She looked over at 2D, who had his eyes on Jannette, who had moved on to a story about her freshman year.   
Noodle wanted nothing more than to be that girl. His girl. She wanted to be the one he took on dinner dates, the one he held hands with, the one he gave kisses on the cheek to when her head was turned, the one he tucked in at night, the one he did everything with. But that was Jannette, and Noodle knew it wasn't her place to intervene in their relationship.   
"Sumimasen- Sorry, please excuse me, I- um, I have to go to the bathroom." Noodle excused herself from the table, trying to get out before she would be overwhelmed with the emotion building up in her mind.   
*  
"... I have to go to the bathroom."  
2D watched as Noodle got up and shuffled to the bathroom.   
'Oh no, she looked upset...' 2D thought worriedly.   
"Poor girl looked like she was going to be sick. I hope she's alright!" Jannette chirped innocently.   
"She'll be fine, I'm sure she's just sick or somethin'." Murdoc dismissed, taking another gulp of his cocktail. 2D shot him a glare, biting his tongue.   
"Oh, there's our food!" Russel pointed out quite happily. 

Noodle came back about ten minutes later, looking as if she hadn't just suddenly disappeared without cause.   
"You alrigh' Noodle girl?" 2D couldn't stop himself from asking. Noodle locked eyes with him from her spot at the table and smiled softly.   
"Hai, I am alright. Just... not feeling well."  
2D could tell when Noodle was lying, and he knew she was lying now. But he didn't want to get in to it, not right here, not in the middle of dinner.   
"Oh, lady problems. Hope it'll get better soon then," 2D said nervously, chuckling, before taking another bite of his overpriced chicken tender. Everyone else at the table had ordered flavorful, fancy food such as filet mignon, salmon fillets, baby back ribs; but 2D had stuck with his favorite chicken tenders.   
For the rest of the dinner, Noodle was silent, only muttering the occasional 'hai' or 'iie' when asked a question. When the check had been paid, with an extremely displeased Murdoc, everyone pushed their chairs in and exited the building. 

"I enjoyed meeting and talking with you all tonight! You are all such lovely people," Jannette praised, shrugging on her shawl. Russel shrugged and smiled, while Murdoc smirked.   
"Tusspot migh' disagree with ya there luv, but thank ya. We aren't so bad after ya get t' know us," Murdoc said, lighting up a cigarette. Russel nodded.   
"Well, this is where we part ways. Good night Jannette!" 2D said as he almost pushed Jannette off of his arm. The woman leaned in and pecked 2D on the lips and smiled.   
"Goodnight Stu, I'll talk to you in the morning. Be safe, all!" she said, and she was gone.   
*  
Noodle felt like she could breathe again once Jannette had left.   
"I like her!" Russel declared as he got in the driver's seat of the car.   
"Me too." Murdoc agreed. With some trouble, the man managed to get himself in to his own seat and fasten the seatbelt at an awkward angle.   
'I don't.' Noodle thought. From the very first moment, Noodle knew she didn't like Jannette. Sure, it was probably because she found her in bed with the man she was in love with, but now she had gotten to know her better, and she had a reason for not liking her.   
"She was alright." Noodle stated, taking all three of her band mates by surprise.   
"Why not?" Russel asked suspiciously. Noodle shrugged.   
"She's boring. Too bland." 2D giggled beside her. She turned her head, and 2D blushed and turned his face to the window.   
"S-Sorry, Noodz." he mumbled. Noodle giggled at him.   
"She is! All she talked about was herself!" she continued, hoping to gain another giggle from 2D. He smirked, and Noodle cursed in her mind. 'Try harder!'  
"She asked me one question, and then she said I was CHINESE!" she exclaimed. This earned a loud cackle from 2D, which in turn caused everyone else in the car to laugh.   
"Cut 'er a break Baby Girl, she didn't know." Russel tried to reason, but his laughter voided it.   
"Iie. She said I was Chinese. There's no coming back from it." 2D kept laughing, finding the whole situation hilarious.   
'This is good. He's laughing- at me. We're joking like we used to.' Noodle looked over at the laughing 2D and smiled.   
'Maybe things are going to work out after all.'


	8. viii. Restless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> DRUG WARNING  
> NSFW

DRUG WARNING  
Noodle rolled over in her bed.   
"Maji ka yo." Noodle mumbled exasperatedly under her breath as she glanced at the clock.  
3:16 AM  
No matter what she did, Noodle could not get herself to fall asleep.   
Counting sheep didn't work, counting to 1000 didn't work, humming didn't work; nothing worked. She was absolutely exhausted from the long day Murdoc had sucked out of her and the other band mates.   
'We've got t' keep practicing or we'll get soggy!' Murdoc's voice echoed in her mind.   
'Soggy, like yer bum?' Noodle remembered 2D's comeback and giggled.   
'That was really funny...' she thought, and sighed.   
'God dammit Stuart Pot.' Since the dinner two days ago, things had been somewhat normal around the house. Nothing out of the blue had happened, and Noodle hadn't seen much of 2D. She'd supposed he had been busy with work, or his girlfriend.   
Noodle cringed at the thought of Jannette.   
'Stop thinking before you get upset.' Noodle scolded herself inwardly. After fighting with herself for a few seconds, the woman pushed herself out of bed and trudged down the long hall, down the stairs, and in to the kitchen.   
'If I can't sleep, I might as well eat.'  
*  
2D was already in the kitchen, making himself munchie snacks. He had a bag of chips in one hand and a glass of milk in the other when a voice startled him so bad he nearly dropped it.   
"Ohayo, 2D." Noodle said quietly. 2D turned around and smiled, trying to wave with his chip hand.  
"'Ello girly!" He chirped. Noodle looked at the abundance of snacks in 2D's hands, then at him, then back to his snacks. "I'm jus', er, a wee bit hungry is all!" he said to the woman standing in the doorway. Noodle smiled, rubbed her eyes, and made her way to the fridge. 2D watched her hips sway as she took her steps, not paying attention to what he was doing or thinking.   
"Couldn't sleep I take i'?" he asked her. Noodle nodded her head slowly.   
"Hai. I wanted a snack, too."  
A few moments of silence passed.   
"Wanna smoke a bowl wiff me?" 2D's question surprised himself, though not nearly as much as Noodle. She turned around, eyebrow raised with pink forming in her cheeks.   
"I couldn' sleep either,"  
"S-Sumimasen?" she stuttered, a smile forming at the corners of her lips. "Did you just offer to smoke me up? We haven't done that in ages." 2D chuckled a little.   
"Yeah. I figured since we 'aven't hung out or talked in a while, this'd bring us back a li'l bi' closer."   
Noodle pursed her lips at 2D's blunt comment, not expecting the elephant in the room to be addressed so blatantly.   
'Oh, maybe I shouldn' 'ave said tha'. Shit.'  
"Alright. I'll smoke with you." Noodle finally agreed.   
"Pick a movie, I'll pack the bowl?" 2D asked. Noodle nodded, closed the refrigerator, and disappeared in to the living room. 2D sat stunned for a few seconds, before he put the milk back in the fridge and brought the chips up to his room.   
'This is excellent! I ge' t' spend time wiff my Noodle girl!' he thought ecstatically. 2D, in his already altered state of mind, hadn't considered the mental toll this little activity could take on either one of them. Frankly, he wouldn't have cared either.   
*  
'Chikushō. Marijuana and a movie, in his room. This is not going to help my feelings at all.' Noodle cursed in her mind, skimming through the movies they had stored on a shelf in the living room.   
She wanted to find something that was not too-  
'Too romantic.' Noodle shook her head at the Notebook.   
'Too scary.' Noodle skipped over the Haunting in Connecticut.  
'Too sad!' Noodle almost took Marley and Me and threw it right in the trash.   
'Hmm...' Noodle pursed her lips, and pulled out the Spongebob Squarepants movie.   
'This is a funny one. Not too much of anything.' She nodded her head, taking the movie and heading to 2D's room. 'This will do.'  
The door to 2D's room was open, so Noodle let herself in and closed it behind her.   
"What'd ya pick?" the blue haired man asked, mouth half full with chips.   
"Spongebob. It seemed right to watch while high."  
2D laughed a little, and nodded.   
"'Bout righ'. Yeah, pop i' in 'n I'll ligh' up."  
Noodle walked over to 2D's television, turned it on, opened the DVD case, and let out a squeak of surprise. Her face immediately sunk and she frowned.   
"Uh, To- Stuart..." she said quietly.   
"Wha'?" He replied.   
"Marley and Me is in this case, so uh... I guess we are watching a movie about a dog dying."  
"Oh," 2D said displeased. "Oh God... You sure you wanna watch this?"  
Noodle almost immediately shook her head.   
"Iie! I hate this movie!"   
After she closed the DVD case, Noodle walked over and sat across the bed from 2D with her legs crossed. 2D lit up the bowl and took a brief hit, and exhaled.   
"Here y'go," he said, passing it to her.   
*  
'This is so weird.' 2D thought as Noodle took the bowl from him, bringing it up to her lips.   
"Light me?" she said quietly, looking over at 2D expectedly. He nodded, and lit the substance. Noodle inhaled deeply, taking a long hit. 2D watched as the smoke exited her lips, disappearing just over her head. Goosebumps formed over the man's arms, and back. The cloudy image of Noodle with her lips barely parted, squinting, ruffled hair, and sleeping pajamas was very sultry.   
Noodle passed him the bowl and took the lighter, grinning childishly and raising an eyebrow. 2D giggled at her and brought the bowl to his mouth to take his turn. Noodle lit his hit, and 2D's breath hitched in his throat and he sputtered a cough.  
"Ohp- my bad luv, heh." 2D chuckled sheepishly, and took another small hit before continuing to pass back and forth. 

The remainder of 2D's weed was smoked in 2 more bowls.   
"'Just one' you said. Just one!" Noodle was laid out on her back on 2D's floor, staring up at the ceiling.  
"Well luv if you want'd t' stop ya could've!" 2D teased back at her. He himself was sprawled out on his stomach on his bed, gazing down at Noodle with private adoration. In response, Noodle just laughed. She kept a huge smile on her face and closed her eyes, sighing deeply and resting the back of her hand on her forehead.  
"Noodz, why don't y'call me Toochi anymore?"  
*  
Noodle sat up quickly.   
"Nani?" she asked nervously.   
'Chikushō. Chikushō. CHIKUSHŌ.'  
2D sat up as well, and looked her in the eyes. His expression did not display any signs of hurt, only those of confusion and wonder.   
"I... I guess I grew out of it." Noodle said, hoping that he would buy it. He didn't.   
"C'mon, luv. Are... Are y'sure it's not 'cause of wha' happened?"   
Noodle cringed. "Hai," she admitted. "It... It is." 2D's eyes instantly fell, and it tugged at Noodle's heartstrings. She lifted herself off of the ground and sat at the foot of 2D's bed next to him.   
"I fought as much."   
Silence. Man nor woman spoke as they sat in the hazy room, the drugs in their systems doing nothing to ease the tension.   
2D suddenly lifted his hand and placed it on top of Noodle's, and squeezed gently.   
"Noodz... I know I already said i', but you're me best friend. I don' wan' anyfink to change between us. I wan' us t'be like we used to." he said quietly, looking down at their hands. Noodle felt her stomach lurch, and she held back the urge to cry.  
"I... Stuart-"   
"Please, Noodle. Can we please pretend tha' nofing happened?"  
'You don't know how hard that is!' Noodle wanted to scream. 'You are all I dream about, all I think about, all I long for.'  
2D reached a hand out and brushed it against her cheek. Noodle managed to bring her eyes up to meet his, and smiled. No matter what had happened, he was still her Toochi; he was still her best friend, band mate, and shoulder to cry on. She needed him.   
"Hai, Toochi." she said, and leaned in to him for a hug. She wasn't sure if this sudden outburst of affection was a result of the drugs, or if she was just feeling extra risky.   
Noodle held tightly on to 2D's shirt. She felt his arms snake around her midsection and hug back. She never wanted to let him go; she wanted his arms to always be around her, to hold and protect her.   
2D released her and held her out at arms length, placing a finger under her chin to raise her face up to look at him, but she kept her eyes down nervously.   
"Noodle. Look at me."   
Noodle raised her eyes slowly and nervously. 2D was staring intently at her, brows furrowed.   
Suddenly, 2D brought his face down and pressed his lips softly against hers, placing a hand behind her head. Noodle's eyes widened at the sudden contact. Hundreds of thoughts zoomed in her mind, but not or was strong enough to bring her down to her senses. She kissed back, placing a hand against the vocalist's chest. 2D used his other hand to press against the small of her back and bring her in closer to him. Noodle did not resist, arching her back with 2D's movements to press her chest against his. 2D gently nipped Noodle's bottom lip, earning a quiet gasp from her.   
'This is so right,' Noodle whispered in to 2D's open mouth. He smiled at her and placed another soft kiss on her lips. Noodle leaned in to him as she pulled at the bottom seams of her pajama shirt and tugged it swiftly over her head. 2D peppered her neck with kisses, tracing her collar bone and down to her bare breast.   
"Toochi," Noodle breathed.   
"Noodle." 2D answered her, taking one of her soft nipples in to his lips and teasing it with his tongue. This earned a soft moan from Noodle, her hands then sliding up his arms and resting on his biceps.  
"Noodle," 2D said, a little louder this time. Noodle simply groaned in response to his tongue work on her nipple, and used her hands to guide his lips back up to hers, where they met hungrily.   
"Noodle!"  
Noodle jumped, and blinked confusedly.   
2D sat across from her, staring worriedly at her, inches from her face.  
"A' you alrigh'?" he asked with a raised brow. "You 'aving a bad trip?"  
Noodle blushed as she realized she had just had a vivid fantasy of the blue haired vocalist sitting in front of her.   
"Ah, uh, iie. I just drifted off. Gomen'nasai." she said awkwardly.   
2D chuckled at her and laid back down on his bed.  
"You're such a ligh' weigh', Noodz. One bowl was enough for you 'n you had three, you're definitely soaring righ' now." he commented.   
'If only you knew what had just gone through my mind.'  
Noodle flopped down next to him with her arms outstretched, nearly whacking 2D in the face. She giggled at him and sighed.   
*  
"I talked to Gabriel today and he asked if I had gone to look at dresses yet, or if you had gotten fitted for a tux."  
2D's stomach did a back flip.   
'Oh shit the wedding,' He had completely forgotten about it.   
"Oh ya? What'd ya tell 'im?"  
"The truth!" Noodle said with a chuckle. "He said it would be a good idea for me to start looking now, so that he could approve or tell me what I need to be looking for. So far, all I know is the dress needs to be floor length and a deep red."   
2D blushed as he pictured the guitarist wearing a dress like that.  
"Tha's goin' to look lovely on you, Noodz. Red is your color." he said, trying to sound casual and keep the adoration out of his voice.   
"Really?" she asked, turning her head to smile at him. 2D refused to meet her gaze, keeping his eyes focused on the ceiling.   
"I'm excited, shōjiki."   
"Me too," 2D said simply. His eyelids were beginning to grow heavy, and flutter open and shut.  
"I was thinking we could go dress shopping tomorrow? We could have you fitted for a tuxedo as well." Noodle suggested, sitting upright. 2D was half asleep by now, and had forgotten that he had made plans to go see a movie with Jannette.   
"Sounds like a wonderful idea, luv. I'd love to." he agreed. Noodle beamed at him.   
"Toochi! Arigatōgozaimashita! Thank you!" Without a second thought, Noodle grabbed 2D's face and planted a huge kiss on his cheek.  
*  
"I'll leave you to bed, then. You look particularly tired." She rose from her seat on the bed and turned to look down at the now sleeping 2D.   
"Goodnight, Toochi." she whispered, and turned her back to him. "I love you."


	9. ix. Phone Calls

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a little shorter than usual! it just felt right to start and end where i did :-) also, im going to start putting the translations for noodle's japanese phrases at the end of the chapters to help with understanding, if that makes any difference. thank you for reading, i hope you enjoy!!

Noodle stood in her room, incessantly fixing her hair or adjusting part of her outfit. She was nervous, to say the least.   
'This is not a date, I shouldn't be nervous.' she scolded herself inwardly. 'He has a girlfriend, and you don't like him.' Noodle sighed and dropped her head in her hands.   
'You don't like him. You don't like him.' she tried telling herself over and over.   
Noodle composed herself, and stood in front of the mirror. She was wearing a pair of vintage high waisted jeans, an over-sized yellow tshirt with a black long sleeve shirt under it, and a pair of yellow converses. She looked her reflection in the eye.   
"Kangaesuginaide," she told herself. "Kitto umaku ikuyo."  
With those last words, Noodle gave herself a reassuring huff and exited her room.   
*  
"Yes, Janny, I'm sorry darlin' bu' I've got a really important thing I've gotta do t'day - no, I'm not jus' blowin' ya off- no, I'm not goin' off to shag some other burd behind ya back-" 2D was sitting on the red faux leather couch downstairs, holding his phone up to his ear to argue with his girlfriend.   
Noodle crept down the stairs behind him, and stopped just around the corner to eavesdrop.   
"Jan I'm sorry, we'll go t' the movies another nigh' I swear," he tried to promise, but the voice on the other end wasn't having it.  
"I already told you, I'm goin' dress shopping wiff Noodle fo' her friend's wedding- yes, I told you about i'!"   
Jannette's stubbornness was beginning to irritate 2D; he was reaching his wit's end.  
"Please babe, jus' believe me."  
There was a moment of silence before 2D let out a heavy relieved sigh.   
"Thank you. I'll keep up wiff you t'day... Uh huh... Alright darlin', bye." he ended the conversation and violently pressed the 'end call' button, nearly throwing his phone across the room.  
"Bloody burd thinks she's got control over me life," he mumbled angrily to himself.   
"Sounds like she needs a talking to," came Noodle's voice from behind him. 2D spun around, not knowing what to expect, but then smiled when he saw his lovely friend behind him.   
"Oh, Noodle! Sorry ya had t' hear tha', heheh." He scratched the back of his head. "She can be a bit of a pain sometimes,"  
Noodle nodded. "Itchi shimasu." she said. "I told you, Toochi. I don't like her." 2D shrugged his shoulders. The air was awkward, and he felt that he needed to direct the conversation away from his girlfriend before feelings got involved.   
"Are ya ready t' head out?" 2D asked, and gestured to the door. Noodle smiled and nodded, giving 2D butterflies as he smiled back.   
'Damn that smile,' he cursed in his mind.   
2D opened the door for Noodle, and followed her out as he closed it behind himself.   
"Do Russ and Mudz know were leavin'?" he asked, suddenly realizing the two would assume the worst if they woke up and found the two of them no where.  
"Hai. I texted Papa this morning and told him where we were going, so he knows. He'll tell Murdoc-san if he gets too curious, which I doubt."   
Noodle stopped at in front of the Stylo, turning to face 2D and raising her eyebrow.   
"Wha'?" he said with a paranoid hint to his voice, causing him to raise his hands to his chest insecurely. "'Ave I got somefin' on me face?" Noodle giggled and covered her mouth with one of her hands, earning a smile back from 2D.   
"Iie, I was just wondering... who is driving?"   
2D immediately made a b-line for the driver's seat and threw himself in to it, fastening the seat belt as well.   
"Luv you know I would never let ya drive."   
Noodle pouted as she sat in the passenger seat next to 2D and mumbled something in Japanese.   
"What was fat Noodz?" 2D teased, smirking as he backed up and began their day.   
"I saaaid, do you even know where we're going?"  
2D shrugged. "I figured ya'd tell me where t' go as we went. Yer usually pretty good abou' directions 'n stuff."   
Noodle chuckled and leaned the side of her head on the window.   
"Just drive like you are going to ASDA, and then take a left. It should be five minutes from the turn, the store is called 'Lulu's'." she directed him as she gazed out the window at the passing trees and rural landscape. 2D nodded his silent affirmation. He dared a sideways glance out of the corner of his eye at his companion and felt his heart melt.   
'She looks so peaceful,' he thought to himself, returning his focus back on the road.   
The two drove in silence for several more minutes before 2D's phone began to ring.   
"It's Jannette," Noodle said monotonously, holding up his phone.   
"Shit," 2D grumbled. His grip on the steering wheel tightened. 'Not now you blonde!' "Put i' on speaker fo' me, luv." Noodle complied and held the phone close to his face.  
"'Ello Jan," 2D greeted, curling his lip. Noodle held a hand over her mouth to keep herself from giggling. This caused 2D to smirk.  
"Hey baby, I was just calling to make sure everything was alright!" the voice on the other end said.   
'We li'erally jus' got off the telly twenty minutes ago...' 2D bit back his annoyed comment to try to give a more pleasant one.   
"Yes da'lin', everythin' is fine."  
"Good, good, I'm glad. It's just that I know you didn't want to go, so I was just calling to see if anything had changed or if  
you could make it tonight-"  
'Fuckin' A, Jannette.' 2D cursed at his girlfriend's words as he felt the air in the car grow heavy with tension. He glanced at Noodle again, who had her back to him and was facing out the window. If not for the reflection of her face, he would not have seen the hurt expression she wore.   
"I-I don' know wha' you're talkin' abou', luv. You know I've been excited abou' this for a while," 2D tried to subtly hint to Noodle that he actually had been looking forward to this, that Jannette was just being a jealous girlfriend and she had nothing to worry about, but the vibes coming off of her didn't change.   
"I've gotta go anyway, Jan. Traffic's bad 'n I don' wan' t' worry Noodle. Have a good day, luv," 2D hung up the phone before she could say anything else to further upset his partner.   
The car was silent, save the radio, for another five minutes before Noodle spoke up.   
"Ē to, Stu, you do not have to do this with me today-"  
"No Noodz! I really do wan' to," 2D cut Noodle off mid sentence, causing her to recoil.   
"Sorry- sorry, I'm sorry. It's jus'- Jannette gets a li'l crazy at times," he began to try to explain. "She's been wantin' to go to see the new Ben Affleck movie tha' came out, so I told her I'd take 'er t' see it, bu' then you asked if I wanted t' go shoppin' wiff you 'n I been lookin' forward to this since you asked me abou' the wedding-"  
"Hontou?" This time it was Noodle who interrupted 2D. At this moment, they had reached a stop sign. 2D looked over at Noodle's face as the car was stopped, and studied her expression. Her dark green eyes glittered ever so slightly with hope, cheeks were tinted a rosy pink, and lips were parted a centimeter. 2D's breath hitched in his throat as he noticed every detail about her face, before snapping his head back face forward so he could continue driving.   
"Y-yeah, I mean yeah, why not?"  
Unbeknownst to him, Noodle was glowing over at 2D with the widest smile she had worn in a while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kangaesuginaide - don't think too hard  
> kitto umaku ikuyo- it will be okay   
> itchi shimasu- i agree  
> hai- yes  
> iie- no  
> ASDA- UK equivalent of Walmart (not japanese but it's helpful to know lol)  
> ē to- you know   
> hontou- really(?)


	10. x. Dress Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whOOoooOoo these r getting short i need to step up my game again

"Koko! Koko, asoko, Toochi!" Noodle squeaked excitedly. She sat upright in her seat and pointed her finger excitedly to a small, pink building on the corner of the street with a large billboard reading 'Lulu's'.   
Since the tension in the car from Jannette's phone call had been relieved, Noodle and 2D had gone back to what most people would call 'flirting'. Neither man nor woman realized what they were doing; it was not verbal flirting, but physical flirting. Noodle would nudge 2D's shoulder playfully at a joke, giggle at anything he did, lean her head on his shoulder; and 2D wouldn't stop her. If she nudged him he would stick his tongue out at her. If she giggled, he would try to make her giggle more. If she laid her head on his arm, he wouldn't shake her off.   
*  
"Hello ma'am! My name is Karen, welcome to Lulu's! Can I help you with anything?" a brunette employee greeted as Noodle entered the building, followed shortly by 2D.   
"Hai- Um, I mean yes please!" Noodle corrected her language as a light blush crept across her cheeks. 2D chuckled softly at her mistake. He knew how much Noodle hated confusing people with her Japanese, so when she slipped up like that she would beat herself up. 2D decided to take action.   
"I am looking for a burgundy bridesmaid dress, floor length. The wedding..." Noodle trailed off as 2D subtly grabbed her hand, intertwining their fingers. She turned her head to look at him, eyes wide and eyebrows raised. 2D simply smiled and looked back at her, trying to convey his thoughts through his black eyes.   
'Yer alrigh' luv, just breathe. Don't stress out.'  
"Ahem," the woman who had been speaking to Noodle cleared her throat quietly, looking awkwardly down at the floor, as if she knew she had been forgotten in their moment.   
"A-Ah, sorry! Um, the dress needs to be floor length, and a dark red- like a, like a burgundy. The wedding is in about a month and a half- September 2nd, I believe? I'm sure. Anyway, it's for Gabriel Reyes. He told me he called ahead to let you know I was coming?" Noodle tripped over her words a bit, her grip tightening on 2D's hand. As Noodle and Karen began discussing what she expected for the dress and the other dresses that had been purchased, 2D zoned out and focused on their locked hands.   
'She's holdin' me hand. She's holdin' me hand... She's holdin' me hand!' 2D was ecstatic, and couldn't keep a goofy grin off of his face. The feeling in his stomach was similar to that of a teenage boy in middle school seeing a titty for the first time. 

Karen the employee had Noodle pick out 3 different dresses; all of which looked the same to 2D, but were apparently greatly contrasted to each other. Noodle entered the dressing room with one of the dresses she had selected, leaving 2D sitting in a chair just outside with Karen.   
"So, are you and this young lady together?" the saleswoman asked to try to make light conversation.   
"Yeh," 2D didn't even falter as he spoke, chin resting on his palm and eyes glued to the door Noodle had disappeared behind.   
"You two are very cute. How long have you been together?"  
This question confused 2D, because he hadn't realized the prior question.  
"We're not," he said, his voice rising in tone at the end of his phrase. Karen froze and stared at 2D, slowly raising an eyebrow.   
"Wh- Oh? Al- uh, alright."  
Fortunately, the two did not have to sit in silence for much longer.   
"Chikushō!" Noodle cursed from the dressing room. 2D stood up immediately.   
"You awright in there, luv?" he called out gently. Karen knocked on the door.   
"Do you need help Ms. Noodle?" she asked.   
"N- Yes actually, yes please. I can't... get the damn zipper," With that, Noodle opened the door. 2D closed his eyes and covered them, a deep blush forming over his face.   
"I won' look," he stated. He heard the two fumble for a second, before the sound of a zipper and an 'a-ha!'.   
"Got it!" Karen proclaimed proudly. "You can look now, Mr. Pot."  
2D eagerly unshielded his eyes, and smiled wide when he saw Noodle looking at herself in the mirror.   
The dress was not anything fancy, for if it had been more elaborate than it was, all of the attention at the reception would be on her, 2D felt like. It was mermaid style, so it hugged Noodle's hips and stomach comfortably while leaving her enough room to walk as well. The lack of sleeves revealed Noodle's chiseled collarbones, which 2D didn't hesitate to admire.   
"Absolutely gorgeous, Ms. Noodle! I adore it!" Karen said happily as she placed a hand on Noodle's shoulder. She turned to 2D, and raised an eyebrow at him, as if to say 'Well dullard, are you going to say anything?'  
Noodle turned around as well and looked at the man sitting behind her. Her cheeks were flushed pink and her lips were pursed; she was trying to hide hope and expectation.   
"Y-You took the words right out me mouth, Karen." 2D managed to say. Noodle's expression faltered slightly and she dropped her gaze to the floor.   
"Dōmo arigatōgozaimashita, Toochi." she said quietly. 2D smiled at her.   
"No, really Noodz, you look positively breathtaking."   
Noodle again raised her eyes to meet 2D's. They sparkled, causing 2D's stomach to turn and unleash feelings he had promised himself he would forget.   
"Thank you, 2D. I am glad you think so."   
"Alright then, next dress." Karen pressed, then nudged Noodle back in to the dressing room and handed her her second dress. 

After a few minutes, Noodle again stepped out of the dressing room.   
"What do you thi-"   
"Tha's it. Tha's the one." Before Noodle could even finish her sentence, 2D had stood up in his seat with a look of complete aw.   
"I'm serious, Noodz. That dress... it looks absolutely astounding on you." 2D's usual nervous tone had vanished and been replaced with something unfamiliar to him.   
Noodle's face lit up in a huge smile as a deep blush stretched across her cheek.   
"Do you really... think so?" she asked bashfully. 2D eagerly nodded, his eyes not leaving her figure.   
The dress itself was a wine red color on a satin fabric. The sleeves hugged her arms at the shoulders and went halfway down her forearm. The skirt reached the floor with a slight tail behind her, creating a look of elegance.   
"Noodle. I promise yeh, this dress is it."  
Noodle held 2D's gaze for a moment before looking at Karen, who was standing behind the pair, holding back a slight grin.   
"Ms. Karen? What do you think?" she asked. Karen let herself smile and folded her arms.   
"Personally, I agree with Mr. Pot. I think that dress is gorgeous. BUT I think we should try the last one, just in case."   
With the professional opinion, Noodle agreed, and retreated back in to the dressing room. Karen passed her the last dress, but 2D wasn't paying attention. He was lost in his own world.   
'She looked so beautiful in tha' fuckin' dress. I can't believe tha' someone like tha', could actually be attracted t' me. I'm so luc-' 2D stopped his thoughts right there, and immediately dropped his face in his hands.   
'What th' hell a' you goin' on abou' you numpty? This isn't yer girlfriend, this is the girl you screwed over with yer girlfriend. Ya can't be thinkin' abou' her like tha' you ol' tosser.' The more 2D thought, the angrier he got at himself.   
'She's so beautiful. 'Ow could you do tha' to 'er? She's so sweet, so beautiful, so perfect...'   
2D sighed heavily.   
'I've got to stop playin' wiff her head like I am. It's not fair, t' neither of us.'   
2D paused for a few more moments before he stood from his chair, and walked out of the building.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> koko- there  
> asoko- over there   
> hai- yes  
> chishukō- shit  
> Dōmo arigatōgozaimashita- thank you very much


	11. xi. Mistake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING INTENSE BOSSY SEX AHEAD
> 
> TRANSLATIONS END OF CHAPTER

The ride home was quiet.   
Quiet, and awkward.   
'Did I do something?' Noodle couldn't help but ask herself. After she had put the third dress on and walked out of her dressing room, 2D was no where to be found. Karen had said that he just walked out without saying a word, but Noodle was sure something had happened to encourage this.   
"Did... Um, did Jannette call?" Noodle asked, trying to break the awkward silence.   
"No." was all 2D said in reply. Noodle shifted in her seat uncomfortably.  
"Sōdesu ka..." 'He does not seem happy at all.' Noodle turned her head slightly to examine her companion's facial expression. He wore a perfect poker face, giving away no emotion. She sighed frustratedly.   
'He was being so sweet to me inside. I wonder... What happened...'  
"Gabriel said he also liked the satin dress," Noodle was desperately gripping for conversation, but she felt her failure when 2D didn't respond.   
Once they reached their home, 2D parked the car and immediately got out.   
"Wait- Toochi, matsu!" Noodle called out, rushing to get her seatbelt undone so she would be free to follow him. She caught up to him right outside of the door, and placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him from taking a step further.   
"Toochi, are you sure nothing happened? You know you can talk to me." she tried to press, keeping her tone earnest. 2D stood still for a moment, before shrugging her hand off of his shoulder.   
"I told you, Noodle. I'm fine. Don't worry about me." he snapped, and opened the door, practically storming his way upstairs. Noodle stood there for a second, stunned at 2D's treatment.   
"What the fuck?"  
*  
Once 2D reached his room, he flopped down face first in to his bed.   
"I can't fuckin' do this shi'," he grumbled in to his sheets.   
2D was absolutely frustrated with himself for how he was being with Noodle. His overwhelming romantic feelings for her scared and upset him, causing him to unnecessarily lash out at her. For the long period of time they had known each other, 2D had never liked to make her upset. When she was younger, he could never say no to her because of the look she would give him. It was no different now- except the look she gave him was ten times worse and filled with heartbreak.   
"'Ey 'D, is everythin' alright?" came Russel's voice from the other side of his bedroom door. "I heard slammin' and saw Noodle walk down the driveway, she didn't seem too happy. Somethin' happen?"  
2D sighed. "Nuffink happened, Russ. Jus' had a bad day and took it ou' on Noodle is all, I'll apologize later." he replied, though he wasn't sure if he would even be able to bring himself to speak to Noodle later on.   
"A'ight, if you're sure." Russel replied, about to take a step away from the door.  
"Wai'- hey, Russ?" 2D nervously called. "Can I talk to you about somefink?"   
Russel stopped, and there was silence. 2D could almost picture the confused look on his face.   
"Sure man, whatever."  
"Say, there's a girl..." 2D began, praying Russel wouldn't ask any questions.   
"Ain't you got a gi-"  
"I'm, askin' for her age- for a friend!" 2D added the last part to relieve some of Russel's stress 2D saw when the brows furrowed themselves.   
"There's a girl, righ'? An' you know you like 'er, but you've got another girl who likes you, an' you think tha' you like 'er, but-"  
"'D listen. I ain't stupid." Russel interrupted. 2D's face drained of all color, and his eyes turned ghost white.   
"Y-Yer... Wha'?"  
"I know what ya talkin' about, man. I ain't a fool. I see how y'all actin' around each other lately, you and Noodle." 2D flinched at her name. "Let me guess- Y'all were diggin' each other, then Jannette came in to the picture and things got awkward, then today it was confronted and now y'all are just all sorts of uncomfortable?"  
"Basically I guess, yeah." 2D sighed. Russel wasn't entirely right, but more or less he hit the nail on the head.   
"Man, if Noodle is still this upset over ya cracker ass, then I think you need to think about her feelin's a little bit. Think about how she's takin' all this." Russel began to close 2D's door as he exited the room. "Go talk to her 'D. Please, f'me. F' her." And the door was shut.   
'That helped... none.' 2D said angrily in his head. If anything, Russel had just made 2D feel worse.   
When 2D felt bad, he drank. And lately, drinking had gotten him in to trouble.   
Regardless, after about an hour, 2D had downed 2 glasses of some god-awful mix of rum and Mr. Pibb, and was on the phone with his girlfriend out on the back porch.   
"'Ello, lovely. How was yer day?" he cooed in to his cell. In his free hand, 2D had a lit cigarette he would take occasional puffs off of. Jannette's reply caused 2D to giggle.   
"Oh really? Yeh missed me tha' much?" More murmuring on the other side of the phone.   
*  
Noodle had gone for a walk after she got home to clear her head and calm her down after the encounter with 2D.   
'I cannot believe he thinks he can toy with my emotions like I'm some bimbo he can lead around by the panties.' Even after the walk, Noodle was still fuming.   
She went around the house along the side, opening the small gate that lead to the backyard and closing it behind her. As she got closer to the porch, she heard a conversation.   
"Oh really? Yeh missed me tha' much?"  
Noodle's stomach and heart lurched as she realized, '2D.'  
"Ugh," she mumbled under her breath, trying to keep her attention off of 2D.   
'Aruki tsudzukeru. Aruki tsudzukeru. Aruki tsudzukeru.' she kept inwardly repeating to herself over and over in her head, trying desperately not to stop or even look at 2D.   
"H-Hey Noodz- Hey Jan, I gotta go babe, I gotta talk t' Noodle..." 2D shouted, but as soon as he opened his mouth Noodle had picked up her pace and shot inside, going to hide in the kitchen. The lights had been turned off, and the sun was going down, so the house was dimly lit. Because of this, Noodle miscalculated where the kitchen table would be, and smashed her toe right in to the leg of it. She let out a high pitched hiss of pain.   
"Chishukō!" she cursed as she dropped down to her knees and grabbed on to the injured toe.   
"Noodz? W-Where are yeh, I can't see anyfink." 2D called out in to the dark house. Noodle didn't respond, partially because she was biting down on her lip too hard to be able to speak.  
"Noooodle, where aaaare you?" the singer continued to drawl, making his way down the hall toward her.   
'Chishukō.' she thought, trying to scramble up before she could be found, but she wasn't fast enough.   
"There you are luv! I was worried! I heard a bang, a'you alrigh'?" 2D asked, bending down to her height and smiling drunkenly at the smaller female.   
"I'm fine, thank you Stuart." Noodle snapped back just as 2D had snapped earlier that evening.   
"Ouch, alrigh', excuse me then." he mocked. Noodle didn't laugh, simply scooted backward and lifted herself to a standing position.   
"I just stubbed my toe, that is all. I can take care of myself."  
"I see tha' quite well." Noodle had begun to try to slip away from 2D, but he followed her, continuing to try to talk to her.   
"Considerin' how you reacted tho, luv, I'd say it's debatable whether you can take care of yourself or not." At this time, the two were halfway up the stairs. Noodle was still ignoring every word 2D said, but he didn't care. He kept talking.   
"I know yer capable of takin' care of yehself, but I don't think yer capable of takin' care of yehself. Know what I mean?" 2D asked, stopping for a brief second until he realized Noodle was still not listening.   
"It's like yeh still our Noodle girl- just a wee -"  
"Stop."  
*  
"It's like yeh still our Noodle girl- just a wee-"  
"Stop." Noodle growled. At this analogy, she refused to listen to 2D drunkenly babble any longer.   
"Just stop right there." she repeated. Noodle spun around on her heels, and walked back to where 2D had obeyed.   
"I am not your 'Noodle girl', I am your band mate. I am a grown woman, who is indeed vulnerable at times, but nonetheless can take care of herself. I don't need any extra help, especially from someone such as yourself." Noodle's words were like daggers pointed directly at 2D. Due to the hostile words she was spewing, Noodle had inched closer to 2D so she was standing on her tippy toes to get in to his face for a threatening effect.   
"The likes of me?" 2D questioned, trying to hold the hurt back in his voice. Noodle could smell the alcohol- she could almost even taste it.   
"Hai, Toochi," her pet name for 2D rolled off of her tongue like poison, making him visibly cringe. "Someone like you." Noodle took a step back and glared directly in to 2D's soul.   
"You have turned in to someone selfish." Noodle's voice began to quiver. "You toy with me. It took me over a whole week to begin to feel comfortable around you, and when I finally do get comfortable-" Noodle sniffled- "You break me all over again." Her fists were tightly balled at her sides; the self restraint she had at that moment was wicked crazy.   
"I-I don't mean t' hurt you Noodz-" 2D reached forward and tried to brush his hand along her cheek, but Noodle flinched. "I'm hurtin' too, yknow. I don't want this anymore than you do-"  
"You don't want this?" Noodle was dumbfounded and chuckling at his words. "Wou. Subarashīdesu! 2D, this all happened because you wanted her instead of me. Remember?" she hissed as she gritted her teeth and stepped back up to meet 2D's piercing gaze, but couldn't. He himself was clenching his fists with his eyes glued directly to the ground.   
"What's the matter, Toochi?" Now that Noodle felt she had the upper hand, she took it. She used his pet name against him, almost as if she was holding it right in front of his face yet just out of his grasp.   
"Noodle. Stop." 2D breathed out. Noodle smirked, but held her ground.   
'I will not be beaten this time, Stuart. I deserve this.'  
"Stop? Like how you stopped when you walked out of Lulu's, and just left me there? Like that, Toochi?" The smirk on Noodle's face was devious and extremely unlike her. Noodle was usually calm, composed, and not one to seek revenge- but something unknown inside of her was driving her actions.   
"Noodle. I'm begging yeh, stop. Please." 2D pleaded. For a moment, Noodle did falter. Perhaps if she did, things wouldn't have escalated.   
"Stop? Unlike how you stopped playing with my head, messing with my-" Noodle was cut off by 2D's lips pressed firmly against hers.   
'Am I hallucinating again?' Noodle thought. Two seconds flew by before she realized no, this was actually happening. 2D had backed her in to a wall at this point, both hands on either cheek to intensify his kiss. Noodle fumbled for a second before she managed to push 2D off of her.   
"Nantekotta i?!" she managed to hiss out, though it was weak as she was still trying to catch her breath. 2D however, was panting like an animal. His gaze no longer rested on the floor, but was fixed firmly on Noodle's. His dark eyes held such a deep sense of lust that Noodle felt her knees grow weak.   
"I told you to stop." he growled under his breath. Noodle opened her mouth to respond, but the opportunity was taken by 2D's lips in another hungry kiss.  
She tried so desperately to keep herself from kissing him back.   
'He has a girlfriend.'  
'He is using you.'  
'This isn't actually happening.'  
None of the things Noodle would tell herself were strong enough to stop her body from reacting to 2D's and kissing back. She met his lips with her own, pushing back with an equal intensity. 2D's right hand went behind her head, while the left one traveled down her body to her ass. Both pulled Noodle's body close to 2D's. She allowed herself to get lost in 2D's mouth, hoping to never be found again.  
'You shouldn't be doing this.' a voice at the back of her mind whispered, but she ignored it and continued to re-explore 2D's body with her hands. Noodle slid her hands up under 2D's shirt and began to lift it over their heads, before 2D tugged gently on Noodle's bottom lip.   
"Uh uh," he scolded quietly. Noodle stopped, and looked up at 2D with a dazed and confused expression.   
"What do you me-"  
"I'm in charge, Noodle." 2D said. He spun Noodle around and grabbed her hips, causing her to squeak in alarm.   
"I will decide wha' comes off 'n when."   
Noodle was taken aback by 2D's demand, but could not bring herself to protest. Her senses were clouded with lust, desire, and though she would never admit it- love.   
2D guided them to Noodle's room, and shut the door behind them.   
"Now I wan' yeh t' sit on the bed fo' me." 2D directed, and Noodle did as she was told. She kept her gaze on 2D the whole time, moving slowly.   
"Take off yeh shirt."   
Noodle's cheeks flushed a deep pink as she obeyed, tossing it over to the foot of the bed. 2D smiled and stood over her. Slowly, he sunk to his knees, giving him equal height to Noodle.   
"I'll take care o' this one meself," 2D murmured as he gazed at Noodle's bra. He reached behind her and unfastened the clasp, then leaned back to watch it fall and reveal two soft nipples. Without hesitation, 2D took one in between his thumb and index finger, and the other he placed his lips on, suckling softly.   
"T-Toochi, ah.." Noodle inhaled sharply at the sudden contact of his tongue on such a sensitive body part. 2D nibbled gently and felt the bulge in his pants twitch ever so slightly. The guitarist was writhing with pleasure, her thoughts mixing with protests and the utter need for more.   
2D didn't seem to care what Noodle was asking for as she pressed her breasts in to his touch, so Noodle made her desires vocal.   
"2D, I wan- I want more," she breathed out, her fingers tugging on the bedsheets. Instead of an immediate verbal response, 2D nibbled harder on the gentle nipple between his lips. He teased it with his tongue for a brief moment, before completely detaching himself from the woman before him.   
"Lie down," 2D huskily commanded. Noodle eagerly obeyed.   
"Now take y'jeans off."  
As she began to unzip her jeans, Noodle held eye contact with her partner. His gaze was dark, and the longer she held it, it seemed the darker they got. Shivers ran down Noodle's spine, and goosebumps rose on her arms.   
"Tha's a good girl," 2D praised when Noodle finally lay completely naked in front of him. Suddenly, she was hyper aware of her appearance. She lifted one of her hands to place over her chest, but 2D was faster than her, and he caught it in his own.   
"I don' think so, luv." he cooed deviously, crawling over her naked body to place her arms over her head.   
"I 'ave anotha' rule for yeh; if ya move yer hands, you lose." 2D said in his deep voice. Noodle nodded as she squeezed her legs together to try to prevent herself from becoming over-excited.  
With their new rule established, 2D slid back down Noodle's body. In the position they were in, if Noodle looked down, she would see her body, and 2D peering out from between her legs, kneeling on the floor.   
"Put yeh feet on me shoulders," he murmured. Hesitantly, Noodle complied. She raised her legs slowly from the ground and placed them on either of 2D's shoulders.   
Now, Noodle's womanhood was completely exposed to 2D. Though it was not the first time, it felt like it all over again. In a trance-like state, 2D began to softly caress Noodle's sensitive folds, earning a low moan from her.   
"Yer already so wet, kitten. We've barely done anything," 2D teased.   
The present situation was momentarily forgotten as Noodle realized 2D had called her his old pet name for her; 'Kitten'. Her heart skipped a beat and she smiled wide. The present yanked Noodle back down as 2D slid a finger inside of her, not stopping or hesitating to see her reaction. She let out an abrupt gasp and her hips automatically bucked up.  
"Maa!" Noodle exclaimed, somehow managing to keep her hands over her head. 2D raised his eyes to look at his companion, and smiled deviously.   
"Didja like tha'?" he questioned, pressing his finger deeper inside of her, then pulling it back out, and inserting it again. The pace to Noodle was agonizingly slow; her body was physically aching for more. Noodle whimpered as 2D continued to pump his index finger in and out, in and out, in and out. Her hips managed to move in sync with his hand movements to try and reach the height of pleasure. 2D seemed to understand what her body was telling him, and he chuckled lowly.   
"What do y' want, kitten? Tell me." he growled. Before giving Noodle the chance to reply, he inserted a second finger, and went deeper. Noodle bit her bottom lip and unconsciously allowed her hands to fly down to her sides, gripping the sheets.   
"Uwa!" she hissed. 2D continued and went faster.   
"Tell me, luv. I want t' know how t' drive you wild."   
"Motto!" Noodle nearly shouted, and continued to chant, "Motto! Motto!"   
Though 2D didn't understand Japanese, he knew what she was asking for. He slowed down his pace, causing Noodle to look back down and frown.   
"W-Why did yo- Ah!" Noodle was cut off mid-sentence as 2D's tongue roughly flitted across her clit. Her fingers gripped the bedsheets harder as his tongue continued to rub circles on the small bud of nerves, before he slipped it between her folds and worked his tongue harder.   
"Toochi! Maa, ah..." she moaned quietly. 2D licked, sucked, stroked- any possible thing his tongue could do, he did. Noodle wriggled and moaned, mumbling his pet name under her breath. Her hands found their way to the back of his head and weaved in to his hair, pressing him harder against her. Noodle's moans became shorter and higher pitched as she felt herself approaching her climax. 2D suddenly stopped, pulled away from Noodle's dripping sex, and stood over her.   
"Kitten, wha' did I tell you?" he asked. Noodle, in a daze from the intense pleasure she had so abruptly been gypped from, blinked up at her partner.   
"Nani?" she whispered. 2D slowly leaned down until he was hovering over Noodle's figure on the bed, the smell of alcohol strong on his breath.   
"I told yeh... if ya move yer hands, yeh lose. Where were your hands jus' now?" he said, taking off his shirt as he spoke. Noodle's mouth hung open, unable to think straight.  
"I-I don't-" she looked down at her hands, which were still slightly up in the air. When she saw this, she giggled and looked at 2D. "Oops," she said. Her companion said nothing as he stood in front of her, simply smirked and continued to undress himself.   
"'Oops' is righ'."  
2D aggressively kicked his pants and underwear off to the side, and climbed on top of Noodle. He kissed her; it wasn't entirely a rough, lust-filled kiss; nor was it gentle, loving kiss. It was sincere.   
This woke Noodle from the trance 2D had put on her with his womanizing ways. She realized where she was, and she realized what they were doing.   
"2D-" she tried to speak in to his lips. 2D wasn't paying attention, he was lost in her.   
*  
"2D-" Noodle mumbled.   
No doubt, 2D was intoxicated. But he knew what he was doing. The alcohol only hindered the part of his brain that would allow him to think about what would happen after the deed was done.  
2D did not stop when Noodle mumbled, and Noodle didn't seem to care enough to try to call his name again. The only clear thing that was going through 2D's mind at that moment was how much he needed her. Not wanted, needed.   
2D slowly pressed his length inside of Noodle. The overwhelming sensation of pure ecstasy took over and 2D let out a low growl, biting down on Noodle's shoulder.   
"T-Toochi!" she squeaked under him. Due to 2D's prior warning(s), Noodle kept her arms as close to her sides as possible, gripping on to whatever they could that wasn't 2D. 2D, however, grabbed both of her wrists and placed them over her head on the bed, pinning her down.   
"Yew feel so fuckin' amazin', Noodle." he breathed out, beginning to thrust in to her. Noodle let out low whimpers as she allowed herself to completely give in to pleasure once more. Her eyes slowly rolled to the back of her head and she bit down on her bottom lip. Her legs gradually found their way up to 2D's ass and wrapped themselves around him, intensifying each thrust as they helped press their bodies together.   
2D felt like he was aboard a rocket ship about to blast off in to space. Here he was, drunk but not drunk enough to not know what was happening, on top of an absolutely stunning woman who was painting a gorgeous picture for him. As he thrust in to her, 2D took in every detail about her he could. He watched the hair stick on her forehead from her sweat, her cheeks turn redder, and her eyes roll back in her head. The image was painfully arousing for 2D; the picture of his beauty under him, added to the feeling of her around him was pushing him over the edge.   
"Does i' feel good?" 2D murmured in to Noodle's ear. He nipped at her earlobe and she let out a high pitched moan. 2D chuckled softly and began thrusting faster.   
"I missed you so much, kitten." 2D couldn't hold back his emotion, and allowed the words to tumble out of his mouth.   
'Probably shouldn't 'ave said tha',' he thought to himself, but didn't ponder on it too long. Noodle arched her back and moaned lowly.  
"Maa! T-Toochi, I-I'm..." she squeaked. 2D thruster harder in to her, feeling himself getting close to his climax as well. Noodle was panting right against his ear, sending his mind through loops and pulling him in deeper. Finally, with almost a yell, Noodle reached her peak. Her walls tightened around 2D's length as she came, which sucked out the last bit of restraint 2D had and brought him along with her.   
After the two came down from their high, 2D hovered over Noodle for just a moment. Noodle opened her eyes and gazed in to his; no words, just staring. And then 2D kissed her.   
As if the whole sex scenario hadn't just happened, 2D further dug himself a hole by connecting their lips in a meaningful, soft, gentle kiss. They broke from their moment to gaze at each other. 2D's heart was brimming with an intense sense of affection and he couldn't handle it. Just when he opened his mouth to say something, Noodle squirmed her way out from under him and sat on the other end of the bed, still completely naked. Her eyes were wide and they shimmered in the dark, showing she was on the verge of tears.   
"Watashitachi wa nani o shimashita?" she mumbled quietly. 2D, very confused, sat down next to her and tried to place an arm around her, only to be pushed back. 2D's heart lurched as his actions caught up to him. 'Fuck, fuck, fuck,' was all he could think.   
"Luv, wha' is i'?" he asked softly, though he already knew the answer. Noodle's fingers dug on to the edge of the bed.   
"2D... why- why did we just do that?"  
Silence filled the room. 2D sat frozen in place, unable to move.   
"I..." he tried to say, but couldn't seem to make himself speak.   
"You know how much I care for you, Stuart." Noodle whispered. 2D managed to force himself to look at Noodle's figure in the dimly lit room. Her hair was wild and 2D could see that her mascara and eye makeup was running and smeared- from the wild sex, or was she crying?  
"I... I think that you should go."   
2D's eyes widened, and he jumped up to a standing position in front of Noodle.   
"Wha'? Noodle, I-" 2D tried to speak, but was cut off.   
"Iie. 2D, you just cheated-" Noodle paused for a split second to sniffle back tears, "-cheated on your girlfriend... with me." 2D felt as if his heart literally split in half.   
"Noodz y'know it's not like tha'-"  
"Stop it, 2D!" she shouted. Noodle had finally snapped. "Onegaishimasu. Please. My heart can't do this anymore." She allowed herself to cry. She sobbed, and sobbed, and sobbed. It reminded 2D of the last time he had hurt her; when Noodle had found him and Jannette, when she allowed him to physically comfort her. Trying what he could to make her feel better, 2D attempted to engulf her in a hug, but she pushed him away.   
"Please, Stuart. I can't do this anymore." Noodle took a deep breath. "The more I see you, the more I talk to you, the more I think of you- it just hurts because I cannot have you. What we just did was cruel, to me and your woman. It was wrong."   
Noodle stood shakily from the bed. Realizing she was still naked, she awkwardly scrambled to throw on a pajama shirt that hung from her bed post. 2D watched her and felt tears start to form in his eyes.   
"Noodle p-please, I don' wanna hurt yew, I just- I'm stuck 'n I dunno what t' do."  
"Then I guess... I'll just have to make that decision for you." Noodle turned, her back facing 2D so he couldn't see her face. Unbeknownst to her, her bedroom vanity mirror reflected her face perfectly to 2D. It showed an immense amount of pain that tried to dig his feet from their spot on the floor and run to her; to comfort her, hold her, love her.   
"I am... I am going to be moving out." 2D's heart almost stopped beating.   
"I can't be around you anymore 2D. I have to do what is best for me, and it just hurts me every day to be reminded of what almost was.  
"I can feel myself going crazy. I have loved you for so long, Stuart. Since El Mañana."  
'What?' 2D thought his head might explode. Noodle kept going.   
"I came back for you- twice. After everything we have been through, I thought that I could go through more to simply have you in my life... But this... this has done it." Noodle's voice faltered.   
"I can't stay here anymore. I'm going to talk to Russel tomorrow and work something out. I think... it's best if you do not come to the wedding."  
"What?" 2D blurted. He knew he shouldn't have said anything, but he couldn't stop himself.   
"I'll ask Russel-san to accompany me. I think it would be... inappropriate for us to go together." Noodle sniffled. "It is inappropriate for us to interact at all from this point on."   
2D felt his heart being ripped from his chest as his world fell apart.   
"Noodz..."  
Noodle choked, holding back a sob at 2D's nickname for her. "I am so sorry, 2D. I won't tell anyone what has happened... Please forgive me for doing what is best for me."   
Silence filled the room. It felt like hours flew by as the two stood apart from each other.   
"I understand, Noodle." 2D finally said. He took a few steps forward and placed a hand on Noodle's shoulder. Noodle reacted, suddenly spinning herself around and throwing herself in to 2D's chest, sobbing uncontrollably.   
"I luv yew, Noodle. I'm sorry I did this to yew. I want nothing but the best for yeh." he whispered, stroking her hair and kissing the top of her head. After Noodle had calmed down a little, 2D tilted her face up to his. He smiled sadly down at her, and kissed her lips gently- almost as if he would break her. Nearly as quickly as it had happened, 2D spun on his heels, and walked out of Noodle's room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sōdesu ka- oh i see  
> matsu- wait  
> Aruki tsudzukeru- keep walking   
> chishukō- shit   
> wou- wow  
> Subarashīdesu- amazing   
> Nantekotta i- what the hell  
> maa- interjection kinda like 'oh my'   
> uwa- wow  
> motto- more   
> nani- what  
> Watashitachi wa nani o shimashita- what have we done   
> iie- no  
> Onegaishimasu- please
> 
> AN: noodle is so mean for a little bit in this chapter oh my gosh. i feel like it was well deserved tho but i still felt so bad writing it omg...,..,,but we got revenge sex so i guess that's worth it? ;-) woo what a wild ride this is crazy and so LONG lol sorry


	12. xii. Plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: russel's pov for a change??? :-o

"Papa..."  
Morning light shone through the sun roof of Russel's room as he was stirred from sleep by a quiet, gentle voice. Russel rubbed his eyes and yawned, before sitting up in his bed to identify where the source of the voice was coming from.  
Noodle stood in the doorway. Her hair was wild and she still wore her makeup from the day before. Instead of clothes, she wore an oversized purple shirt that Russel was sure used to belong to him. Noodle's eyes were slightly swollen and puffy, showing she'd been crying.  
"Baby girl?" Russel said sleepily. "Wha's wrong? You okay?" Noodle did not answer, but instead ran to him. She threw her arms around Russel's large figure, catching him off guard, and gripped him tightly.  
"Papa... Watashi no kokoro ga kowarete imasu," Noodle whispered in to his shoulder. She let out a gut wrenching sob and allowed herself to release her emotions on to Russel, crying and gasping and almost throwing a fit. Russel, however, had no idea what was going on.  
'What in the bloody hell is happening here?' he thought to himself, patting and rubbing circles on Noodle's back. 'I haven't seen Noodle this upset in God knows 'ow long.'  
"What happened, Noodle?" Russel finally asked, after Noodle had gone about 15 seconds without letting loose a sob.  
"Nothing. I..." Noodle trailed off.  
"...? You can tell me anything Baby girl. Y'know that."  
Noodle released Russel from her tight hug and dropped her gaze to the ground.  
"I... love 2D." she whispered, and Russel had to suppress a chuckle.  
"I know." he said. Noodle smiled sadly.  
"He doesn't love me."  
"That's where you're wrong, Noodz." Russel wrapped a burly arm around Noodle's shoulder, and pulled her close.  
"'D loves ya. He's just got a funny way o' showin' it." he tried to tell the younger woman, but she shook her head.  
"No Papa, you don't understand. I..." she paused for a moment, pondering on what she was going to tell Russel, before she spoke again.  
"I want to move out."  
The room fell quiet. Russel was stunned.  
"M... Move out?" he repeatedly dumbly. Noodle nodded.  
'Baby bird wants to leave the nest- fly away from Mama bird... I shoulda known it was comin' sooner or later.'  
"Okay," Russel agreed. Noodle looked at him, eyebrows raised in shock. He rubbed her shoulder and smiled down at her.  
"Don't get me wrong, now. I don't want you to move out, but I know you- and I know once you've made up your mind, there's no changin' it again." Noodle chuckled quietly and smiled at her friend. "But whatever 'D did... it must have been pretty bad... right?" The smile on Noodle's face fell instantly at the mention of his name.  
"Hai- Iie- Eh, I don't want to speak of it. It... hurts." Noodle ended the conversation as soon as it began, and stood from her seat on the edge of Russel's bed. Russel nodded and stood up too.  
"Want breakfast?" he asked. Noodle nodded eagerly and placed a hand over her stomach.  
"Hai! I'm starving, Papa. I haven't eaten since breakfast yesterday."  
"A'ight. We'll go out somewhere 'cos I don't feel like cookin'. Go put on some real clothes now, I'll be down in five."

*

2D blinked his eyes open slowly. Grits of sleep sand dug in to his tear ducts and he winced, before rubbing his eyes and sitting up in bed.  
'Oh too fast,' 2D winced as his head began to spin, so he flopped back down and sighed.  
One week.  
It had been one week since Noodle had moved out of the house, and almost everything had changed. Russel hadn't been home much, but when he was, 2D was sure to get the silent treatment. Murdoc was still more or less clueless to what had happened, but he had started to put two and two together.  
'Did'ja scare the babe off?' he'd ask. ''Ya come on too strong? Scare 'er away with your microscopic peen?'  
Murdoc's teasing wasn't what had been eating at 2D. It was Russel's disappointment and Noodle's absence. In the 'old days', when Murdoc's teasing got the best of him, he had always had their shoulders to lean on, but because of his idiotic mistakes, he had no one.  
2D had tried to set things right, but he just couldn't manage to break things off with Jannette. He'd taken her out to dinner three different times that week, each with the intention of ending it, but 2D just didn't want to hurt her.  
After a few more minutes of wallowing in self loathing, 2D shoved himself out of bed and threw on a pair of pajama pants, and meandered his way downstairs.  
His mind wandered back to Noodle.  
'I wonder what she's up to righ' now,' he thought silently. 'Is she in a hotel? Is she at a friend's? Is she getting an apartment?'  
So many questions were spinning in 2D's mind, just as they had been for the last week.  
"Oof!" 2D huffed and bounced backward a few steps as his body collided with another in the hallway.  
"Oi, sorry, didn't see ya the-"  
Noodle's hunched over figure stood before him, rubbing her head and wincing. After 2D spoke, Noodle slowly raised her gaze to meet his and she tensed up like a deer in the headlights.  
"K-Konichiwa, Stuart." she greeted quietly as she quickly averted her gaze back to the floor. 2D was too stunned to speak.  
'Why is she here?'  
"I just for-forgot some clothes, I needed them."  
Silence once again. 2D wanted to reach out and touch Noodle, as if she were an elusive creature only seen or heard of in fairy tales.  
More silence.  
"I-I'll just... be going then," Noodle mumbled awkwardly, trying to squirm her way past 2D in the hallway.  
"H-How have yeh been, Noodz?" 2D squeaked. He spun himself around to face Noodle, who had already managed to make it behind him. 'Don't let her get away, Stu. You don't know when you'll see her again.'  
Noodle's pace down the hallway quickened as 2D spoke up, but he just followed her as quickly as she walked away.  
"I-I haven't really seen yeh in a while, or Russel eifer. S'been quiet 'round here," he babbled, continuing on about how he hasn't been eating because the two 'adults' of the house aren't there to cook, how the house is steadily getting messier, yadda yadda yadda.  
Before long, Noodle had stopped in front of the front door. She turned around to face 2D and her expression, filled with pain and an indescribable sadness, stopped 2D's running mouth.  
"Stu..." she whispered, frowning at the man in front of her.  
"Yes, luv?" he whispered back. Hope glinted in his eyes as Noodle reached her hand out and brushed it against his cheek.  
"I'm sorry. I know it's hard. I'm hurting, too." She pressed a gentle, warm kiss on his nose, before turning and bolting out the door. 2D stood frozen in his spot, nose burning and heart aching. 'Did she even get what she needed?'  
'I can't do this. I have to get her back.' At that moment, 2D felt his mental resolve and hype strengthen. '4 days until the wedding. I can do this.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Watashi no kokoro ga kowarete imasu- my heart is broken
> 
>  
> 
> A/N: i have the next 3ish chapters planned out, all i gotta do is write them, and that'll be curtains for this story!!! i'm actually super proud i stuck with it for so long. but also, i'm working on a 2nu comic?? so??? that's cool!!!! i'm gonna try to post it on wattpad and tumblr. i'm almost done with the first chapter already it's taking forever. it's based off of the movie 'one day' with anne hathaway so it's a lot of angst and yikes lol. anyway thank u for reading, pls leave kudos/comment thoughts!!! <3


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